broadcaster

Concordia University, Nebraska

winter 2016 | vol. 94 | no.1

Rich in
Tradition

President Brian Friedrich welcomes concert attendees to Christmas at Concordia.

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

photo: Payton DeVencenty '18

Each academic year, Concordia chooses a theme rooted in a Bible verse to help us reflect on and live in the Word for
the coming year. In August, our 123rd academic year began under the theme verse: Count it all joy, my brothers, when
you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness (James 1:2-3).
This verse reminds us of the power and blessing of Gods enduring love in all situations, the good and the not-sogood. As a Christian, Lutheran university, our ministry is to explore with our faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends
how all matters are located under the grace and redemption of Christ, and how we can find the joy of His salvation in
every circumstance.
In this issue of Broadcaster, we reflect on that tradition of finding balance between the complexities of life in the
two kingdoms: Gods kingdom of grace and the kingdom of this world. Concordia alumnus Gary Spiller 00 is using his
education and experiences to demonstrate Gods love, care and compassion for all people. We also examine Concordias own history and tradition through a series of artifacts that show how far we have come as an institution while
remaining faithful to our Lutheran Christian identity as a university of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. And,
finally, we have a ghost story for you, which is part history, part fiction and has become part of the lore of campus life.
I hope you will also read about our womens soccer team, as well as Vance Winter, who after eight seasons as head
football coach concluded his successful leadership of the Bulldogs. These remarkable individuals have used their own
unique trials and tests to carry their respective teams forward to greater heights.
Despite the many changes Concordia has experienced throughout the years, we remain deeply committed to our
mission as an excellent academic and Christ-centered community equipping men and women for lives of learning,
service and leadership in the church and world. By Gods grace that is our missionnow and for generations to come.

The Vernon H. Koehler Memorial Clock was donated in memory of Prof. Koehler, assistant professor of secondary education from July 1965 until his sudden death on May 19, 1967. The clock was dedicated on Oct. 28, 2016, and was donated by
Koehlers eldest son and daughter-in-law, Paul HS 72 and Mary Ann Koehler.

Blessings to you and your family. Count it all joy!

For he says, In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you. Behold, now is the favorable
time, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2)

Brian L. Friedrich
President

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Mystery Photo

Broadcaster Staff
Director of Marketing
Seth Meranda
Editor
Danielle Luebbe
Art Director
Michael Scheer '14

Designers
Emmiline Moll '18
Chelsea Wohlgemuth '18

Keeper of the Dream

Contributors
Jake Knabel
Sue M. Roush

Gary Spiller 00 wants to make the world a more

equitable, inclusive place.

Photographer
Payton DeVencenty '18

University Administration
President & CEO
Rev. Dr. Brian L. Friedrich
Provost
Dr. Jenny Mueller-Roebke HS '69 CO '73 GR '81
Executive Vice President, CFO & COO
David Kumm

10

Senior Vice President for Enrollment

Management & Marketing
Scott Seevers '89

The Rest is History

Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Kurth Brashear

A collection of artifacts demonstrates the rich

tradition of Concordia.

Vice President for Student Affairs & Athletics

Gene Brooks CO '91 GR '03

Here at Concordia, we offer only the best in accommodations. Can anyone tell us more about The Concordia Hilton?

Board of Regents

Email us at broadcaster@cune.edu!

Mrs. Krista Barnhouse CO '95 GR '01, Lincoln, Neb.

Dr. Dennis Brink, Lincoln, Neb.
Mr. Ryan Burger '04, Lincoln, Neb.
Mr. Robert Cooksey CO '84 GR '90, Omaha, Neb.
Dr. Lesa Covington Clarkson '80, Woodbury, Minn.
Rev. Dr. Brian Friedrich, Seward, Neb.
Rev. Eugene Gierke, Seward, Neb.
Rev. Keith Grimm, Andover, Minn.
Mr. Barry Holst '86, Kansas City, Mo.
Mr. Timothy Hu, Cheyenne, Wyo.
Mr. Richard Huebner, Centennial, Colo.
Mrs. Jill Johnson, Seward, Neb.
Mrs. Bonnie ONeill Meyer, Palatine, Ill.
Mr. Paul Schudel, Omaha, Neb.
Mr. Timothy Schwan '72, Appleton, Wis.
Rev. Richard Snow, Seward, Neb.
Dr. Andrew Stadler, Columbus, Neb.
Mr. Max Wake, Seward, Neb.
Rev. James Woelmer GR '99, Plano, Texas

Mystery Solved

About the Cover

Making its historic beginning in 1927, C Club

was one of the oldest-known clubs on campus.
This group of student athletes was focused on
serving Concordia athletics, the student body
and the community.

2016 Concordia University, Nebraska

14

The "Ghost" of David Hall

Generations of students have reported hauntings
in Concordias David Hall dormitory.

Faculty and Student

Highlights
Discover the many accomplishments achieved
by our students, faculty and staff.
cune.edu/highlights

16

Concordia Scene

24

Athletics

34

Alumni & Friends

Its hard to see beneath all that mud! The lovely ladies
featured in last issues Mystery Photo were found in the
1977 yearbook. The women identified were (from left to
right) Mary Svatos 79, Deborah (Fitzpatrick) Armbruster
78, Lynda (Rhoads) Galik 79, Connie (Fiori) Vincent 77,
Robyn (Maas) Schaefer GR 79 and Kris (Ulmer) Hock
78. The rest remain a mystery! Playing mud football was
a Spring Weekend tradition, along with bed races and
buck buck, that has since been retired. Thanks for all
the great responses, including this from Robyn Schaefer:

This picture was taken May 7, 1977, during a mud football game. Connie Fiori and I brought this event to Concordia after seeing it in Colorado at a college event there.
We asked Luther if we could do it for Spring Weekend, and
he said, Go for it. We arranged to have the hole dug, and
the local fire department to come put water in it the night
before. They told us though that the water would be gone
by morning if we didnt get in and stir it up. So the night
before we put in an all-call to the dorms and had kids in
there the night before. The janitors were not happy. We had
several teams involved, and everybody had a great time.
We love hearing from our readers!
Have feedback or comments on our latest issue?
We want to hear from you! Email the editor at
broadcaster@cune.edu.

#GoHigherBroadcaster

Keeper of
the Dream
story: Sue M. Roush
photos: Curtis Conyears, Gary Spiller '00

Gary Spiller is striving to build a more equitable culture

and leave a positive legacy for his students and the world.

n 1933, a black woman applied to Concordia Teachers

College, which caused the institutions leaders to
question whether to admit students of different races. It
was put to a vote by the faculty who decided, Members
of non-Caucasian races shall not be denied admission
if they meet all the requirements. Twenty years later,
Hollis Gordon, a black student who was a member of the
student council, yearbook and football team, was elected
Homecoming King. Concordia has a long history of integration, but that doesnt mean its been easy to achieve.
Fast forward 40 years to a time when attending college
was an important milestone for a minority student from
Edwardsville, Illinois.
After graduating from Metro Lutheran High School in
1996, Gary Spiller looked for a college that would continue
his Christ-centered education and also allow him to play
basketball. He chose Concordia Nebraska because of the
renowned education program and a generous basketball
scholarship. Both Spiller and Concordia have benefitted
from that decision.
Being a first generation college graduate was and still
is very important to me, says Spiller. Graduating college
meant that opportunities that may not have previously
been afforded to me immediately became possibilities
and potential doors to be opened.
In working with my students and my own children, I
often share my first gen story to show them that all things
are possible. I often challenge them to dream bigger, work
harder, and achieve more in both school and life.
My parents were and are proud of me, Spiller continues. It was important for them to see me graduate as
they had hopes for better access and opportunities for
my life and the lives of future generations.

The Concordia community was small enough that most

knew Gary by name. While that was usually a positive
thing, it sometimes meant that Spiller felt marginalized
and misunderstood.
Once, Spiller was asked by a fellow student, who had
never met a black person before, if he was in a gang, as
though all people of color must be gang members. Both on
and off campus, Spiller heard the N word used and was
referred to as boy. Even in class, there were moments
where a shortage of cultural understanding was evident.
Though he was a busy student-athlete, Spiller wanted to
be a force for positive change. He was a founding member
of the Multi-Cultural Awareness Club (MAC) on campus,
an organization created to serve as a resource to students
of color and to bring them more of an identity on campus.
There was a lack of multicultural awareness, Spiller
says. For instance, no one I asked knew where I could
get a haircut. None of the barber shops in Seward could
cut a black mans hair.
When someone isnt in a majority, you feel like you
are constantly swimming upstream. People often make
insensitive statements. The club helped some, but we
were still invisible.
Though there were some difficult moments, there
were also faculty who stood out as advocates and were
intentional in their relationships with him.
Dr. Jenny Mueller-Roebke HS 69 CO 73 GR 81 was my
teacher and advisor and was amazing, says Spiller. I was
comfortable with her from the beginning. Jack Kinworthy
was also amazing. I was simply Gary to him, nothing else.
They were both Christ-like in their work with me.
Following graduation with a bachelor of science in
education, Spiller felt called to work in an environment

Gary Spiller uses his vocation as an educator to increase awareness of cultural diversity in and out of the classroom.

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Diversity
and Unity
According to The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod,
multi-cultural school ministry "is a culturally, racially
and economically diverse education setting achieved by
circumstance or design for Christian unity and the sake
of the Gospel."
At Concordia University, Nebraska, we strive to be
sensitive to the cultural differences of our students, faculty, staff and alumni, in order to effectively serve those
with a vast diversity of origins, education backgrounds,
family customs, social structures and political values.
Source: lcms.org

where he could make a difference. He started his teaching career at Lutheran High School North which was
located in a St. Louis school district where the student
population was 50 percent black and 50 percent white.
His desire to make a difference then led him to Los Angeles where he worked with high-needs at-risk students.
Part of that challenge was for all students to have a 3E
post-secondary plan. That is to be Enrolled, Enlisted,
or Employed when they graduate high school, Spiller
clarifies. It is important for my students to set goals,
receive support in navigating and achieving them, and
know that there are/were others in their shoes that made
it just as they will. Muhammad Ali said impossible is
nothing. For us, first gen is nothing.
While in L.A., Gary received his masters degree
at Pepperdine University. His studies at Pepperdine
introduced him to the concept of cultural proficiency,
which enables an individual or organization to gauge
their response to diversity. It was the first time someone
provided a framework for how he lived and felt.
Gary considers himself a Keeper of the Dream and
works to help students dream bigger, work harder and
achieve more. This servant-leader attitude sent him back
to the St. Louis area where he still lives and serves as Executive Director of Student Services and Innovation for
the School District of University City. He has also served
as a school administrator at both the Ferguson-Florrissant
and Ritenour School Districts in St. Louis.

Theres a difference between

equality and equity.
On Aug. 9, 2014, Michael Brown, an 18-year-old unarmed
black man, was fatally shot by a white police officer in
Ferguson, Missouri. The circumstances of the shooting
ignited tension in the predominantly black neighborhood
and protests erupted.
Ferguson was real, raw and heartbreaking, says
Spiller. It is important that we have courageous conversations on race. The kids seem to get it. The adults
unfortunately dont.
In response to this tragedy, Spiller and a small group
of education leaders from the St. Louis region brought
students from 33 different schools together to create
and host multiple student summits on race titled Gate8

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way2Change. The real tragedy is after the tragedy when

people go right back to living as they were before. We
helped our students open up, talk about race and issues
of social justice. We empowered them to become change
agents and to make our world a better place.
In September, Dr. Jenny Mueller-Roebke, Concordias
provost, invited Spiller to come to campus and hold a
workshop on multi-cultural diversity.
My goal in bringing Gary to speak was to create a greater
cultural awareness on our campus and to prepare all our
students to live, work and minister in diverse settings,
says Mueller-Roebke.
We must do a better job of supporting, retaining and
graduating students of color. Their presence makes Concordia a richer environment for our campus community.
When Spiller came to lead the workshop, he focused on
defining and creating a better understanding of race and
culture and their impact on our society. He also discussed
the importance of reflecting on individual perspectives
and biases, including those barriers that may prevent a
person or institution from welcoming and encouraging
diversity. The community then worked to identify methods
and behaviors to move toward intercultural effectiveness,
as individuals and as a university.
Concordia faculty and staff that participated in this
workshop shared their own experiences and context on
the topic. Faculty and staff evaluations of the workshop
were positive, and Concordia plans to bring Spiller back to
campus to continue these conversations with the purpose
of continuing to build a community where all members
faculty, staff and studentsare in mission together. Spiller
is also working with several education professors to help
future teachers integrate Christ-like care and compassion
for people of all races and cultures into their classrooms.
Additional steps are being taken by Concordia administration to build a more culturally aware and sensitive
campus. These include an increased focus on cultural
awareness related to strategic planning, developing an
advisory committee of students to speak about their
experiences on and off campus, bringing other experts to
campus to speak on these issues, and hiring a multi-cultural program specialist.
Mueller-Roebke concludes, Concordia is committed to continuing the tradition of equipping men and
women for lives of learning, service and leadership in
the church and world, and while tradition is important,
the education we provide has to look different than it
did 40 years ago.

Gary Spiller spends time with his wife, Kelly, and children, Bryce and Kaylee.

Spiller works with students one-on-one to understand how best to serve them.

Concordias goal is to meet the needs of each individual

with love, grace and guidance and to continue to move
toward a place where all students are treated with equity.
Theres a difference between equality and equity,
says Spiller. The best analogy I have is that if Concordia were a shoe factory, equality would mean that every
student is given a pair of shoes. Equity on the other
hand would mean that every student is given a pair of
shoes that actually fit and work for them. All of them.
Its about meeting students where they are, regardless
of race or culture, and supporting them to their highest
levels of success.
#GoHigherBroadcaster

The Rest
is History
story: Danielle Luebbe
photos: Payton DeVencenty '18

After 123 years of equipping men and women for lives of

service and leadership, Concordia has accumulated an
archive of objects that exhibit where we have been and
where we are going.

rom one professor, twelve students and a high school

curriculum to a fully accredited, coeducational
university that has granted degrees to tens of thousands
of students, Concordia University, Nebraska has come
a long way over the years. Since its founding in 1894
as the Evangelische Lutherische Schullehrer Seminar,
Concordia has seen many changes, created many lasting
traditions and built a rich legacy as a Christ-centered,
community-driven institution of higher learning.
This collection of artifacts, curated by archivist Dr.
Jerry Pfabe, chronicles the heritage that makes Concordia
great. To see more artifacts, visit cune.edu/archives.

1 This style of hat, worn by Concordia's marching band in

the 1950s, is called a shako.
2 A pennant from around 1910 featuring Becker Hall showcases one of the many names the university has carried
in the past: the Lutheran Teachers Seminary.
3 First-year students used to be required to wear a beanie
to mark their class. Up until the 1990s, the freshmen
class members were rented to upperclassmen at the
beginning of each school year as a way to raise funds for
class projects.

4 The Bulldog mascot was first adopted in the 1920s. This

mascot head was used between 1986 and 1998.
5 The Edison Home Kinetoscope is an early motion picture
projector circa 1912 and was one of the first available for
home use. Many schools, including Concordia, adopted
the machine as a medium for visual instruction.
6 This metal sign adorned Becker Hall, which was located
southeast of the current Jesse Hall. Built in 1907, Becker
contained classrooms, the chapel and a bookstore. Later
it housed Concordia High School and then the teacher
education classrooms. It was demolished in 1999.
7 This letter was awarded for excellence in music.

8 Janzow Campus Center used to house a four-lane bowling

alley in the lower level. The bowling alley was opened with
the campus center in 1968 and was removed in 1985.
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13

The Ghost
of David Hall
story: Danielle Luebbe
photo: Concordia Archive

A mysterious "ghost" has reportedly haunted the David

Hall dormitory for decades. Dr. Jenny Mueller-Roebke
HS '69 CO '73 GR '81 thinks she knows why.

n Jan. 2, 1863, Robert T. Gale filed the first homestead

in Seward County. A surveyor, he chose an irregular
tract along Plum Creek that provided fresh spring water
year-round and shelter from the north winds. Robert and his
wife, Amelia, settled on the claim, facing flash floods, raids
by Native Americans and any number of other hardships.
Robert and his infant son, Alfred, died of tuberculosis
just five years later. Amelia buried them on a corner of
the homestead overlooking Plum Creek valley. The site
became a community cemetery for Seward and when
Amelia moved to Oregon after marrying Sam Ross, she
left that section of land to the city.
According to the late Seward historian Jane Graff,
The land (10 acres on the north side of the north 40)
was purloinedknowinglyby a Mr. Langworthy with
the aid of John N. Edward (attorney for Amelia and Sam
Ross). Most of the families relocated their loved ones to
a new cemetery north of the city. Eventually, the burial
ground was plowed under for farmland.
Dr. Jenny Mueller-Roebke, Concordia University, Nebraska provost and professor of English, was a junior at
Concordia High School in February of 1968, almost exactly
100 years later. I was sitting in class, and people came running down the hill, saying, Theyre uncovering bodies where
the new dorm is being built, Mueller-Roebke says. So we
got to leave class to go down and watch as they unearthed
these bodies. In total, nine graves were found, ranging from
the remains of baby Alfred to Jane Snodgrass, aged 64. The
graves were moved to the Seward Cemetery, to join the other
displaced graves, and David Dorm was completed.
In 1981, Mueller-Roebke was back at Concordia,
teaching writing classes. One of her assignments was
about historical research, so Mueller-Roebke contacted

Graff, the historian who had researched and identified

the bones, to talk about her process of writing about the
discovery. Many of the students in Mueller-Roebkes
class were freshman, and David is the freshman girls
dorm. The story struck a nerve.
Around Halloween, while discussing the lore and
ghost stories that often occur in small towns, the class
decided to create its own ghost story. Using the historical
details of the Gales and their burial place as their basis,
the class created a myth about Amelia haunting David
Hall because she was angry that the Seward founding
fathers had stolen the cemetery land.
The story took on a life of its own that Mueller-Roebke
and her students never anticipated.
From 81 until I took the position of provost in 08,
while I was teaching, I would hear about the ghost in
David Hall repeatedly, says Mueller-Roebke. It was
always the corner of David, the southwest corner, which
was over where the cemetery was. I would hear stories
about running water or radios being turned on when no
one was there.
Running water and mysteriously playing radios are a
recurring theme in the haunting stories. Students report
seeing things, books and whiteboards and pencils, move.
Late at night, footsteps are allegedly heard in empty
hallways and printers randomly turn on.
As stories like the one created by Mueller-Roebkes class
grow and change and take on lives of their own, are retold
and repeated, they become a part of the tradition and lore
of Concordia. For years to come, the story of Amelia Gale
and the graves found on campus may continue to flourish,
and students will claim that strange things happen in David
Hall, particularly on dark, lonely nights.

Unmarked gravesites were discovered during the construction of David Hall.

14

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15

The Concordia
Scene
Music

Concordia Announces Sole Music

Therapy Program in Nebraska

Theatre

Students on Stage

Students performed a fall play in November 2016. The

Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as
Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton
under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade depicts
French writer and aristocrat Marquis de Sade directing
a performance while institutionalized in an asylum.
Academics

U.S. News & World Report

The music therapy program at Concordia received accreditation by the American Music Therapy Association
(AMTA) in July 2016. It is the only Bachelor of Music
degree in music therapy available in Nebraska.
Service

Beautiful Feet Mission Conference

Concordia University, Nebraska students attended the 2016

Beautiful Feet Conference Nov. 3-5, 2016, at Concordia
University-Portland to explore opportunities for service
and to make connections with other mission-minded
students. Over 130 students attended the conference,
coming from eight out of the nine schools in the Concordia
University system.
Music

Musical Arts Day

Concordia hosted high school honor choir and band students for Musical Arts Day. There were 207 students selected to participate out of more than 300 who auditioned.
Members of Concordias University A Cappella Choir and
Symphonic Band assisted with rehearsals throughout the
day and performed with the students in an evening concert.
16

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Concordia continued its climb up the Best Regional

UniversitiesMidwest category of U.S. News & World
Reports Best Colleges rankings. In the 2017 edition,
Concordia is ranked in the top 40 of 163 universities
listed in its category, an increase of 14 spots in the last
four years. Concordia also appears on the Great Schools,
Great Prices and A+ Schools for B Students lists.
Art

Saturday Art Classes

Local elementary students attended art sessions taught

by Concordia students majoring in elementary education and overseen by art department faculty. Students
focused on creating art, art history, aesthetics and constructive criticism.
Academics

Educational Partnership

Students will soon have the opportunity to benefit from a

new partnership between Concordia University, Nebraska
and Central Community College. Graduates of CCC who
have earned an associate degree and who choose to enroll full-time at Concordia will be awarded no less than
$15,000 annually in institutional aid as they pursue their
bachelors degree. In addition, those students will receive
a New Horizons Scholarship of $2,000 that stacks incrementally with all other Concordia grants and academic
or performance scholarships.

Founders Day Celebrates

Concordias 122nd Birthday
story: Sue M. Roush

On Nov. 18, 2016, Concordia University, Nebraska celebrated its 122nd birthday with an entire day of activities
that highlighted the schools rich history and featured the
dedication of the refurbished Weller Chapel Auditorium
and The Elaine Mar Hughes Organ by Kuhn.
Weller Chapel Auditorium has been the site of daily
chapel since its construction in 1953. In addition, the
auditorium hosts plays and concerts throughout the year,
but its primary function is worship.
We are gathered to rededicate this place, this space,
hopefully for a lot of years, said Rev. Ryan Matthias,
campus pastor, at the dedication. This is a place where
the Lord Jesus Christ will be preached again and again.
It is where we receive His body and blood, it is a place
where God the healer will show Himself in Word and
sacraments. You are witnesses of that this day,
Throughout the summer, Weller Chapel Auditorium
went through massive renovations. Designed by Concordias Center for Liturgical Art, stained glass windows
were added to represent power that stretches out to draw
creation into a united praise for the glory of God from the
molecules that are the micro building blocks of life all the
way to the farthest stars and galaxies of Gods world. On the
front of the stage, bursts of light and color carry the vision
of the Abundant Joy window through waters reminiscent
of the beginning of creation and life-generating Baptism.

Improved and accessible seating allows for over

500 attendees to participate in worship and view performances. Other improvements include new carpet,
new flooring, new paint, new stage floor and layout
and new lighting.
The organ was installed in 1960, five years after the
chapel addition to Weller Hall was completed. Built by
Orgelbau Th. Kuhn of Mnnedorf, Switzerland, the organ was one of five Kuhn organs installed in the United
States. Now completely refurbished, the organ was heard
during chapel in the first public performance since 2004.
Dedicated in memory of Elaine Mar Hughes 64, the organ
is one of only two Kuhn organs remaining in the United
States. The other is located in Lincoln Centers Alice
Tully Hall in New York City.
The renovation of Weller Chapel Auditorium lifts
up the importance of this space and the value it has in
the Concordia community, providing visible additions
that transform the room from an auditorium used for
worship into a dedicated chapel space used for many
functions. Regardless of their reason for being in attendance, all who enter and occupy the renovated Weller
Chapel will visually see, witness and experience the
Gospel. Concordia University, Nebraska gives thanks
to God for all the donors who made this renovation
project possible.
#GoHigherBroadcaster

17

Celebrating
500 Years of
Lutheran Tradition

Service

Providing Light

When Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenberg church in 1517, he sparked a revolution. Throughout the
year, Concordia University, Nebraska, along with millions of other
Lutheran Christians around the world, will continue to celebrate
the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Join us in celebration!

Upcoming Reformation Celebration Events

January 2017

23

Guest Lecture: Dr. Adam Francisco

February 2017

19

Themed Music Recital

20

Guest Lecture: Dr. Amy Burnett

24

Hymn Sing at Bottle Rocket

TBA Human and Social Sciences Department

Presentation by Dr. Russell Moulds

March 2017

13

Guest Lecture: Dr. Louis J. Reith

20

Guest Lecture: Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz

April 2017

TBA Theatrical production: Three Vignettes on Katie Luther

Guest Lecture: Dr. Cameron Anderson

August 2017

21

Department of Science Presentation: Dr. Brent Royuk

28

Guest Lecture: Rev. Dr. Charles Arand

September 2017

11

Guest Lecture: Dr. Mike Rodewald

17

Reformation Hymn Festival by Dr. Jeffrey Blersch

18

Guest Lecture: Rev. Dr. Jon Vieker

October 2017

Department of Music Presentation by Dr. Joseph Herl

13

Hymn Sing at Bottle Rocket

TBA Octoberfest 5k LutherRun/Walk

24

Cradle of the Reformation Germany Tour: Rev. Bryan Drebes

29

Student Art Exhibit

Sidewalk Chalk Art Demonstration

Reformation Worship Service:

Guest Preacher: Rev. Dr. Timothy Saleska

Germanfest Dinner

Learn more about the events scheduled to celebrate the 500th

anniversary of the Reformation at reformation.cune.edu.
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Looking Beyond Speaker Series

Community

True-crime author John Ferak presented Wrongful

Convictions Sept. 13, 2016. Ferak was the lead investigative reporter chronicling the Steven Avery murder
case, which was featured in the Netflix Documentary
Making a Murderer. His latest book, Failure of Justice,
chronicles the true story of Nebraskas Beatrice 6, the
nations largest DNA exoneration case, highlighting six
wrongful convictions.

Concordia hosted its 21st annual Plum Creek Childrens Literacy Festival Sept. 22-24, 2016, on campus
in Seward. The festival offered an assortment of new,
nationally-renowned authors and illustrators to encourage a love of reading, writing and books.

Wrongful Convictions

Forensics
Throughout the 2015-16 academic year, students at
Concordia University, Nebraska raised awareness and
funds to build solar-powered LED lights through the
non-profit organization New Vision Renewable Energy.
As a result of these efforts, Concordia presented $3,800
to NVRE President Rev. Ruston Seaman during his visit
to campus on May 20, 2016.

Forensics Team Shatters Records

The Reformation Then and Now

Academics

Tom Osborne on Ethical Leadership

Tom Osborne, former coach and congressman, spoke

at Concordia University, Nebraska as part of a program
sponsored by the Concordia chapter of Phi Beta Lambda
business club. More than 150 Concordia students, coaches
and faculty members attended the event, eager to hear
Osbornes coaching stories and gain insight on how he
has been so successful as a player, coach, college athletics
administrator and politician.
Community

Christmas at Concordia

Four Christmas at Concordia concerts Dec. 24, 2016

brought more than 3,000 Concordia students, faculty
and staff, alumni and community members to St. John
Lutheran Church near campus. Concordia also held its
annual community open house, tree lighting and Scholarship Parade of Homes that weekend. The weekend was
sponsored by The Cattle National Bank & Trust Co. of
Seward, in partnership with Concordia.

Community

Project Pumpkin

Children of the Seward community and surrounding areas

were invited to participate in the annual Project Pumpkin
trick-or-treat event held in David Hall. Treats were given
out by Concordia students, and each area of the womens
residence hall was decorated according to a theme.

Trending @ CUNE

Reformation 500

Rev. Dr. Robert Rosin presented The Reformation Then

and Now: Context Counts and Methods Matter as part
of the 500th Reformation Anniversary Lecture Series.
Rosin is professor emeritus of historical theology at the
Concordia Seminary in St. Louis.

21st Annual Plum Creek

The Concordia University, Nebraska Speech Team secured

12 qualifying event bids to the National Forensic Association National Championship, won multiple finalist and
semifinalist awards, and broke several school records in
their first five weekends of competition.

ICYMI, heres a look at some of Concordias most popular

social media posts from the fall 2016 semester.

Community

Board of Regents

Superheroes all over cam-

Two new members were elected to the Concordia University, Nebraska Board of Regents. Timothy Hu was
elected in July at the LCMS national convention. Rev.
James Woelmer was appointed to the Board by the Praesidium (the president and six regional vice presidents) of
the LCMS. In addition, three Board of Regents members
were reelected to continue their service on Concordias
Board of Regents until Aug. 31, 2019: Rev. Keith Grimm,
Rob Cooksey and Jill Johnson.

Fall break is here! Enjoy your

Reformation 500

Martin Luthers Tradition

Rev. Dr. Paul Robinson presented Fooling Around with

Councils and Fathers: Luthers Critique of Authority
and Late Medieval Ecclesiology as part of the 500th
Reformation Anniversary Lecture Series. Robinson is
a professor of historical theology and dean of faculty at
the Concordia Seminary.

time off, #CUNE!

pus today! #Homecoming

#snapCUNE

Are you ready for some Con-

Chapel is officially back in

cordia Bulldogs Football? As

Weller after being newly

part of the annual GPAC/

renovated! Check out this

KCAC Challenge, the #CUNE

#TBT of #CUNEs chapel

Bulldogs take on the Uni-

from the 60s!

versity of Saint Mary Spires

/concordianebraska

in Bulldog Stadium tomor-

/CUNE

row at 1 p.m. #GoodToGreat

/concordianebraska

#GoDawgs

/concordiane

#GoHigherBroadcaster

19

Homecoming

photos: Payton DeVencenty '18, Jennifer Furr CO '97 GR '03

Clockwise from top: The crowd cheers on the bulldogs at the Homecoming football game. Cameron Christiansen 17 and
Angie Steinbacher 17 were named Homecoming king and queen. Bulldogs ring the victory bell after their 56-0 defeat of
Briar Cliff. A praise band plays on the plaza. Fun and games abounded at the Homecoming fair. Alumni award winners
Rev. Dr. Harvey and Carol Lange (Honorary Alumni Award), Dr. Brandon 01 and Dr. Vanessa Seifert CO 03 GR 06 (Young
Alumni of the Year Award), Dan Seim HS 61 CO 65 (Church Leadership Award), Tim Moll 89 (Alumnus of the Year Award),
Bonnie 66 and Larry Noack HS 65 CO 66 (Partners in Mission and Ministry Award).

20 Broadcastercune.edu

#GoHigherBroadcaster

21

Our Committment to Lutheran Higher Education

Lutheran Heritage Guarantee

Lutheran Advantage Guarantee

For the past three years, the Lutheran Heritage Guarantee (LHG) is one of the many ways Concordia University,

Concordia is committed to ensuring a Lutheran, Christ-centered education is attainable for everyone. Through

Nebraska is ensuring our undergraduate brothers and sisters in Christ have the opportunity to receive a Lutheran,

our affordable graduate degrees, we equip adult students to serve, lead and impact in schools, businesses and

Christ-centered higher education.

healthcare institutions around the world.

2016

M. Ed.
M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction

2015

2014

228
$3.4m

M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction with Instructional Technology Leadership

590
$10.1m

432
$6.8m

M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education

M.Ed. in Early Childhood Special Education
M.Ed. in Educational Administration
M.Ed. in Literacy with Reading Specialist Emphasis
M.Ed. in Literacy with Reading Specialist and ESL Emphases
M.Ed. in Special Education Inclusive Practices
M.Ed. in TESOL
M.S. in Athletics Administration

MBA

students who received LHG aid

MBA in Accounting

total LHG aid provided

MBA in Business Intelligence

$20.3 million

MBA in Finance

685

MBA in Human Resources Management

students have
received LHG aid

total LHG aid has been

provided since 2014

MBA in Marketing
MBA in Nonprofit Management
MBA in Risk Management

40%

Healthcare

LHG are in a church

M.H.S. Master of Human Services

of students receiving

received the Lutheran Heritage Guarantee

work program

M.H.A. Master of Healthcare Administration

M.P.H. Master of Public Health

The Lutheran Heritage Guarantee

is available to:

The Lutheran Advantage Guarantee

is available to:

Top academic majors for LHG students:

member of a Lutheran congregation

alumni of any Concordia

40%

dependent of a Concordia alumnus

alumni of any Lutheran college or university

dependent of a full-time, professional, rostered

educators and employees at a Lutheran school

Lutheran church worker

or church

graduate of a Lutheran high school

For more details, including other qualifications,

For all details, including other qualifications,

visit explore.cune.edu.

Education

26%

Science

10%

Business

10%

Humanities

8%

Broadcastercune.edu

tuition discount on ALL

online master's degrees

MBA in Organization Development

Students from 39 states and 4 countries have

22

MBA in Leadership and Managing Teams through Change

20%

Arts

visit cune.edu/lhg.

#GoHigherBroadcaster

23

The
Life
of the
Party
story: Jake Knabel
photos: Tim Mehl '18, Jake Knabel

From down-and-out to top-of-the-world, the Concordia

womens soccer program is exceeding expectations and
proving just how far they can go.

C
2016 Women's
Soccer
Tied school record for most wins in a season (15)
GPAC Champions
Second highest scoring team in school history

oncordia womens soccer wasnt invited to the championship party in 2014. That disappointment led to
a program-changing season that altered the mindset on
the stands and in the locker room. A high school senior
at the time, Seward native Maria Deeter 19 has a keen
sense for the change in climate.
You got the feeling that Concordia wasnt expected to
be there, says Deeter, who gave her commitment to the
Bulldogs before the 2014 seasons successes. At the start
of this year, I think everyone expected to be in that final
game and expected for us to compete and get to nationals.
Instead of it being a main goal, its an expectation that we
get there. If not, we have to fix things.
Deeters comments are now representative of a program in the midst of an unprecedented three-year run
orchestrated by head coach Greg Henson. An unexpected
GPAC tournament title series in 2014 led into another
conference championship game appearance in 2015 and
then another postseason championship crown in 2016.
The last three seasons have produced two national tournament trips, a national ranking as high as No. 16 and a
total of 43 wins.

There have been many memorable moments along the

way. When Concordia womens soccer staged the GPAC
championship game for the first time ever, no member of
the team was quite prepared for the crowd and electricity
that would greet them that night. Bulldog Stadium roared
in ways that shamed the gatherings at the 2014 title game
at Hastings and the 2015 championship tilt at Morningside.
When the clock hit zeroes with the scoreboard showing
a 3-1 Concordia advantage, droves of fans poured onto
the turf. An on-field celebration that lasted well after the
final buzzer was just getting started.
It was crazy, Deeter says. I was really hoping the
crowd would turn out, and it blew my mind. Its so fun to
be able to play in front of all the people you know and all
your supporters. To get the win makes it that much better.

You have to learn how to win, which

is definitely a skill and a talent.
The womens soccer program has been all about blowing
away expectations. When Henson took over the program
in the summer of 2013, Concordia had been coming off a
mostly forgettable 2012 season that ended with a 6-9-1
record after a brief stay in the conference tournament.
Henson saw more than one eyebrow raise when he told
players and parents at a 2013 preseason gathering that
he believed conference championships and national
tournament berths were on the horizon.
Henson didnt stutter when he uttered those words.
He said them with the type of conviction that demanded
his players buy in.
There were a few chuckles and a few strange looks on
the players faces like, This guy is a little crazy, Henson
says. Quickly there was the buy-in once we laid out what
we were going to be about. It was a process. You have to
learn how to win, which is definitely a skill and a talent.
There was no championship or trip to nationals in
2013 when Hensons first team went 9-9-2 overall. But the
wheels were beginning to turn. The 2013 squad won three
of its last four regular-season games (the lone loss was a 1-0
double overtime defeat at Hastings) and then advanced to
the GPAC semifinals. In retrospect, the 2014 team had more
substance than anyone realized. A squad picked fifth in the
GPAC in the preseason had an army of battle-tested seniors
who were gritty, unselfish and unified. Above all else, the
26 Broadcastercune.edu

The Bulldogs celebrate the GPAC Championship win.

senior class, which included the likes of Meredith Hein 15,

Rachel Mussell 15, Marcie Sindt 15, Ashlie Sklenicka 15
and Melissa Stine 15, was heavy on leaders.
A first team all-conference performer at center back
for the 2014 group, Mussell (now Sievert) says, I think
that offseason my junior year was really the turning point.
We said, Hastings is no longer going to be the only team
that runs the GPAC. Theyre going to have someone that
they need to watch out for every season.
An unsuspecting Hastings squad, then 8-0 in conference
play, paid a visit to Bulldog Stadium on October 29, 2014. The
Broncos had lost to Concordia only once, ever. That fact made
this particular night even more special when Mussell and
the Bulldogs celebrated a 2-1 upset of 16th-ranked Hastings.
When we ended the game I think we were all a little
in shock because Hastings had always been an opponent
we could never get past, Mussell says. I remember being
in the locker room like, We just beat Hastings. We just
beat Hastings.
Something big was happening. Perhaps for the first
time in the programs history, it suddenly didnt seem so
silly to think that Concordia had a shot at reaching the
national tournament. Hensons words prior to the 2013
campaign had become prophetic.
Players quickly came to realize they could trust Henson, a St. Louis native who had previously helped build
up the girls soccer program at Lutheran High School in
St. Charles, Missouri. If Henson says something, you can
believe it. That quality is one of Hensons biggest strengths
and something Mussell picked up on immediately.
He just tells you how it is, Mussell says. He wanted
to take the program where it was supposed to be. I think
it was really cool for him to come in and say, Were going
to make this happen. What he said, he did.
Peaking in November has become a hallmark of
Hensons teams. Though midseason struggles have
at times surfaced over the past three seasons, the
Bulldogs have continually righted the ship.

In the same season that Concordia may lose to or draw

with a team of lesser talent, it knows it can come right
back and beat a team like Hastings. Thats been proven.
The Bulldogs were disappointed to be a No. 5 seed making
a road trip for the GPAC quarterfinals in 2015, but they
never gave up. They blew away Briar Cliff in the first round
and then clipped Hastings in a penalty kick shootout in
the semifinals.
We have to be playing our best soccer in November,
Henson says. The nonconference is kind of an extenuation
of preseason. We want to be playing our best soccer come
conference time and then take it up another level for the
conference tournament. The college soccer seasons a
grind. Sometimes weve had that midseason lull where
things havent quite gone our way. Its just a matter of
using those as learning situations.
What the entire GPAC has learned is that Concordia, no
matter the regular-season standings, cannot be discounted
come playoff time. The championship trophies that rest
inside the Walz Human Performance Complex will serve
as reminders of a special time for Bulldog womens soccer.
But its the people that made it happen. Theres pride
in the program like never before. Though no longer in
Nebraska, Sindt offered her support before the 2016 title
game with a tweet that showed her dog decked out in Concordia womens soccer gear. Somewhere, Rachel Mussell
and the rest of the 2014 senior class was also smiling as
a new wave of stars like freshmen Sami Birmingham 20
and Rachael Bolin 20 celebrated with a large throng of
students on Nov. 10, 2016.
With that win came a trip to south Florida for the
opening round of the national tournament. A moment at
practice leading up to the second national championship
appearance in three seasons brought a smile to Hensons
face. Said one Bulldog player, Thanks for taking us to Miami. Henson quickly responded, You guys are taking me.
No longer the party crashers, Concordia womens
soccer is the life of the party.
#GoHigherBroadcaster

27

A Lasting
Impact
story: Jake Knabel
photo: Dan Oetting '87

Head football coach Vance Winter says goodbye after

eight seasons, but his legacy wont soon be forgotten.

Vance Winter
2016 GPAC Coach of the Year

2016 undefeated home season (5-0)

Ranked 18th nationally in 2016
7-3 final season

28

Broadcastercune.edu

ormer star quarterback Von Thomas 14 stood before a crowd of more than 300 registered guests at a
unique football reunion ceremony hosted on the Concordia
University campus. Tasked with introducing head coach
Vance Winter, the record-setting signal caller broke down
in tears. Few people had impacted Thomas the way that
the eight-year leader of the Bulldog football program had.
For Thomas, the bond went way beyond what happened
on the gridiron.
Some people wouldnt understand what kind of man
he is unless they coached beside him or played for him,
says Thomas. He cared for me more as a human being
than a football player. He was with me through the ups
and downs at Concordia. There was never a moment
where I felt alone because I always knew I could contact
him. Hes a huge reason why I am the man I am today.
Known as someone who would stick his neck out for
players, Winter helped cultivate a program that offered
the promise of a familial and Christian atmosphere. When
five Concordia football student-athletes were involved in
a single vehicle car accident on Oct. 2, Winter issued the
statement, We will be here to support these young men
and their families through the recovery.
He then did a whole lot more. He spent time every day
that week visiting Bryan Medical Center West in Lincoln,
Nebraska, where three of the five players remained for
more than a week. Winter took time out of game preparations to be there for them. It is who he is.
It was those kinds of moments that made it difficult
when Winter announced that he would be resigning his
position as head football coach, effective at the conclusion
of the 2016 season. In the final game of Winters eight-

year tenure, senior Trey Barnes 17 led the Bulldogs to a

comeback victory over Hastings, sending the programs
ninth head coach out on a high note.
Coach Winters an amazing guy. Everybody respects
him, Barnes says. We just had to go out there and play
well not only for the seniors, but to send him off. That
was huge.
Nearly a month after making his decision to step away,
Winter discussed his future, knowing hes at peace with
the direction his life is going. Vance and his wife, Tanya,
have three children: Jackson, Clara and Jesse.
Having a young family, I struggled with the amount
of time I was away, Winter says. Its a tremendous
commitment. Ive been all in. My wife and kids have been
unbelievably supportive of that. Ive got a nine-year-old,
a seven-year-old and a five-month-old that still think its
cool to be around their dad. Im narrow-focused, and I
struggle separating work from home.
As noted by Director of Athletics Devin Smith CO 92
GR 01, Winters time saw increased competitiveness
on the field, incredible facility improvements, improved
scholarship processes, staffing additions and budgets
that put the Bulldogs in a position to prosper. The year
before Winters promotion to head coach, Concordia went
1-9 overall. Fast forward to 2016 and one finds a Bulldog
program that finished 7-3 and ranked inside the top 20
of the national coaches poll.
I hope that there was more to being part of our program
that just football, Winter says. I wanted them to feel that
they were cared about. They could always come talk or text
or call my cell phone. Those are things that you dont get at
the bigger programs that you get at Concordia.
#GoHigherBroadcaster 29

Fall Sports
Summaries
Mens Soccer
After winning its first GPAC tournament home game in
15 years, Concordia then upset No. 13 Midland, 3-2, in
the conference semifinals and advanced to the GPAC
championship game for the second year in a row. This
time around, head coach Jason Weides program had
its hopes of another national tournament appearance
thwarted by second-ranked Hastings, which topped the
Bulldogs, 3-1, in the title contest. Champions of the 2015
GPAC tournament, Concordia finished 2016 with an
overall record of 11-7-2 and placed third in the conference
regular-season standings.
Following the programs sixth-straight season of 10
or more wins, three Bulldogs earned either first or second team All-GPAC accolades: junior defender Florian
Caraballo (first), senior forward Marcelo Hernandez
(first) and junior forward Micah Lehenbauer (second).
Hernandez and Lehenbauer tied for the team goal scoring
lead with eight apiece. Accomplished senior goalkeeper
Mark Horsburgh concluded his collegiate career with four
shutouts and a save percentage of .785 in 2016.

30 Broadcastercune.edu

Womens Soccer
Its been an unprecedented three-year run for womens
soccer under head coach Greg Henson. The three winningest seasons in program history have all come over the
last three years. The 2016 Bulldogs (15-6-1, 7-3 GPAC)
equaled a school record with 15 victories and celebrated
a GPAC tournament championship over Morningside on
their home field this past November. That achievement
earned Concordia an automatic berth to the national
championships for the second time in program annals
and for the second time in three years. Now a power in
the conference, the Bulldogs have advanced to the GPAC
championship game three years running. The teams season
ended with a 2-0 loss at third-ranked Keiser University
in the opening round of the national championships.
As one of the highest scoring teams in school history,
Concordia was topped by the 20 goals from freshman
standout Sami Birmingham, who joined sophomore
midfielder Maria Deeter with first team All-GPAC recognition. Four Bulldogs collected second team honors:
freshman Rachael Bolin, junior Jeannelle Condame, senior
Chrissy Lind and sophomore Ashley Martin. Lind ended
her career with program career goalkeeping records for
games and minutes played, shutouts and saves.

Football
For the first time since 2001, the football program finished
a season with a national ranking. In the eighth and final
year at Concordia for head coach Vance Winter, the Bulldogs (7-3, 5-3 GPAC) concluded 2016 with three-straight
victories while completing the programs first undefeated home season since 2000. Along the way, Concordia
defeated Nebraska rivals Hastings and Midland. The
Bulldogs finished in fourth place in the GPAC standings
and were ranked No. 18 in the final NAIA regular-season
national coaches poll.
Winter earned the GPAC coach of the year award
and five Bulldogs were named first team all-conference:
defensive lineman/punter Trey Barnes, receiver Jared
Garcia, linebacker Michael Hedlund, defensive back
DMauria Martin and kick returner Tarence Roby. While
setting new career highs for catches and receiving yards
in a single season, Garcia broke Ross Wurdemans school
record for career touchdown receptions. In addition,
running back Bryce Collins eclipsed 3,500 career rushing
yards and finished his time as a Bulldog as the programs
No. 2 all-time rusher. Defensively, Barnes led the nation
in tackles for loss per game and Hedlund recorded his
second-straight 100-tackle season.

Volleyball
On the heels of the programs first-ever national tournament berth in 2015, the 2016 Bulldogs fell short of the lofty
standard that had been set the previous year. Concordia
couldnt get over the hump while up against a schedule
loaded with top 25 opponents. Fifth-year head coach
Scott Matteras squad ended the season at 15-19 overall
and 6-10 in conference play (seventh place). The year
culminated with a GPAC quarterfinal loss at Midland.
Some season highlights were winning nine of 10 matches
during the month of September and senior setter Alayna
Kavanaughs 76-assist performance in a five-set victory
over Dakota Wesleyan.
Kavanaugh and fellow senior Paige Getz landed on the
GPACs second team. Kavanaugh piled up more assists
during her career than any other Bulldog has during the
modern era of rally scoring. Meanwhile, Getz pummeled
1,331 career kills, placing her third on the programs alltime list. A career best season for senior right side Tiegen
Skains allowed her to collect honorable mention all-conference accolades, which also went to junior defensive
specialist Jocelyn Garcia.

#GoHigherBroadcaster

31

Attendees of the 2016 football reunion

Golf
Due to inclement weather that wiped out the second round
of the GPAC Fall Tournament, the mens and womens golf
teams have played just 18 holes of conference qualifier
action heading into the spring. Head coach Brett Mullers
mens squad sits in third place in the GPAC with a score of
300 in round one. Meanwhile, the womens team carded
a 386 at the opening GPAC round and is in ninth place.
The biggest highlight from the spring was produced by
the mens team when it broke a program single-round
record by turning in a 288 on day two of the Blue River
Classic that it co-hosted with Doane. Concordia placed
second overall among the 15 teams at the tournament.
From an individual perspective, seniors Reid Wiebe
(75.6) and Amy Ahlers (82.4) lead their respective teams
in terms of lowest 18-hole average. Ahlers has been a force
for Concordia, claiming nine tournament victories, six
GPAC player of the week awards and three all-conference
honors during her collegiate career. Wiebe broke a school
single-round record (68) at the Blue River Classic, an
event that saw teammate sophomore Nolan Zikas place
as the tournament runner-up.

32

Broadcastercune.edu

Cross Country
Matt Beisel took over the cross country and track and field
programs this summer after Kregg Einspahrs 24-year
tenure came to an end. The first cross country season
under Beisel concluded with GPAC finishes of sixth
place for both the mens and womens teams. Concordia
competed in five races throughout the fall. One of the
top performances of the season came from the womens
team when it placed fifth out of 25 teams at the Seminole
Valley Stampede, held in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Oct. 22.
Junior Emily Sievert shined throughout the fall. Her
ninth-place individual finish at the GPAC championships
allowed her to earn all-conference honors and to qualify
for the national championships for the second-straight
year. Sievert paced the Bulldogs at all but one meet this
season. On the mens side, junior Pat Wortmann made
immense strides and outkicked all of his teammates in
four of five races on the year. He placed 28th at the GPAC
championships.

Concordia head coaches (from left to right): Vance Winter, Kenneth Schroeder, Courtney Meyer '65, John Seevers '52, Ralph Starenko,
Ron Harms, and Rev. Dr. Larry Oetting HS '58 CO '62

Cultivating
Men of Faith
and Character
A special reunion weekend more than a year in the making
took place Sept. 16-17, 2016, on the Concordia University
campus. While celebrating more than 90 years of Bulldog
football, in excess of 300 registered guests gathered for
an event with the theme, Cultivating Men of Faith and
Character since 1925. All seven living head coaches, past
and present, attended the reunion. The reunion featured
a Friday night banquet, a football win over Northwestern
on Saturday afternoon and a social on Saturday evening.

The Hand Off

Concordia's newest head football
coach is a familiar face. Former
Bulldog safety Patrick Daberkow
CO '06 GR '10 will be taking over
the reins in 2017 as the 10th coach
in program history. Daberkow has
served as Concordia's defensive
coordinator and recruiting coordinator for the past seven seasons.
Welcome to the helm, Coach!

#GoHigherBroadcaster

33

1940s

Alumnotes

Edward Weerts 47 and Margaret (Dicke) Weerts 42

celebrated their 95th birthdays and 72nd wedding anniversary this year. The couple met at Concordia and both
were lifelong Lutheran schoolteachers. Their children,
Jon Weerts 67 and wife, Gail; Jim and Gretchen (Weerts)
Young; Joel and Gretchen (Brockmann) Weerts 79;
and Luke Weerts 78 and wife, Christine, are blessed to
still have their parents wisdom and humor.

1970s

Richard Bolland 70 celebrated 30 years in the pastoral ministry. Now retired, he

served congregations in St.
Ignatius, Montana; Marshall,
Missouri; Tucson, Arizona;
Pagosa Springs, Colorado;
and Kansas City, Missouri.

the Professional Development Council and the SOPM

for the Kansas District, as well as serving in the teaching
ministry for 42 years. She and her husband, Tom, live in
Wichita, Kansas.
1980s
Rev. Jeffrey H. Pulse 80 was granted tenure on the
faculty of Concordia Theological Seminary-Fort Wayne.
He serves as associate professor of Exegetical Theology,
director of Certification and Placement and director of
Continuing Education. Pulse is currently a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Durham, England, in the area
of Old Testament.

Rev. Dr. Benjamin Mayes 97 has accepted a call to

serve on the faculty of Concordia Theological Semi-

Dr. Lesa Covington Clarkson 80 was named a recipient

of the INSIGHT Into Diversity 2016 Inspiring Women
in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) Award. She created the Prepare2Nspire program to
provide math tutoring to urban middle and high school
students by an ethnically diverse group of University
Minnesota undergraduate STEM students; the program
has supported nearly 400 young people thus far. Lesa is
Associate Director of the STEM Education Center at the
University of Minnesota.

Christina Shaw 06 began working as a Regional Medical Laboratory Scientist at the U.S. Embassy in Dakar,
Senegal in January 2016. Concordia prepared me to do
this job by providing me with a strong biology/chemistry
foundation, Shaw says. The foundation in these sciences
helped me to get accepted into the Medical Laboratory
Scientist program at University of Nebraska Medical
Center where I became specialized in what I do today.
As a Regional Medical Laboratory Scientist, Shaw
travels to countries along the west side of Africa, visiting other embassies health units and local laboratories
to ensure that they are safe for Americans to use while
serving overseas. She also supervises the laboratory
personnel, health unit and cafeterias at the U.S. Embassy,
making sure they meet safety standards and monitoring
quality control.

Dr. Lesa Covington Clarkson

Christina Shaw and her husband, Fred Williams

1960s

34 Broadcastercune.edu

Dr. John Hoffman 94 has been

selected by the NASPA Foundation
Board of Directors to receive one
of its 2017 Pillar of the Profession
Awards. This is the highest honor
the organization bestows on members of the higher education leadership and student affairs discipline. John
is currently the Director of the Doctor of Educational
Leadership Program at Cal State Fullerton, California.

Inspiring Woman
in STEM

The Science
of Service

DeVon 69 and Sandy (Kaempfe) Lark 71 recently moved

from the Twin Cities in Minnesota to Lincoln, Nebraska.
DeVon is a vicar at the Word of Life Church and is enrolled
in the Specific Ministry Pastor pre-seminary program at
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Sandy is assisting with
the preschool program at Messiah Lutheran School.

1990s

David Bever 73 has retired from the teaching ministry of the

Lutheran Church after 43 years. David and his wife, Peggy, live
in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Susan (Edmison) Kleber CO 75 GR 83 was elected as
a Commissioned Minister representative to the Kansas
District LCMS Board of Directors. Sue is also serving on

Rev. Kevin Bueltmann 88

and Tawn (Gudgel) Bueltmann 87 celebrated the
ordination of their son, Rev.
Aaron John Bueltmann, on
July 24, 2016. This marked
the fourth generation of pastors in the Bueltmann family
in 84 years when Aaron followed in the footsteps of Rev.
Dr. August John Bueltmann, Rev. Dr. David Bueltmann
CO 68 GR 15, and father Kevin. Also present for Aarons
ordination was maternal grandfather Rev. Richard Gudgel 64 and sister Carly, currently a junior at Concordia
University, Nebraska.

nary in Fort Wayne,

Indiana. He began
his service on August 1, 2016. He will
continue to serve in
his current capacity
at Concordia Publishing House as
managing editor and
co-general editor of
Luthers Works: American Edition and as assistant
editor of the Seminarys theological journal. He and
his wife, Rebecca (Gerdts) Mayes 98, have two sons,
Caleb and Jonathan.
#GoHigherBroadcaster

35

Troy Keilig 98 and Rachel Keilig

welcomed Oliver Jerald Keilig into
the world on June 8, 2016. He joins
sibling Audrey Jane, age 6. The family
lives in Hastings, Nebraska.
2000s
Dr. Brandon Seifert 01 and Dr.
Vanessa (Frana) Seifert CO 03
GR 06 welcomed baby Lydia Marie
into the world on June 23, 2016.
Lydia joins sibling Victoria. The
family lives in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Travis Armknecht 03 was
named the Missouri Journalism
Education Association Rising Star
for 2016. He teaches high school
journalism, media literacy, speech
and English at Grand Center Arts
Academy, a visual and performing arts charter school
in St. Louis, Missouri.

Lisa (Stock) Clark 04 is thankful for the publication

of her first fiction novel, The Messengers: Discovered, which was released May 2016 by Concordia
Publishing House. To learn more about this novel
visit cph.org/messengers. Lisa currently lives in St.
Louis and works at Concordia Publishing House as
an editor.
Mandy (Grote) Clemmer 08
and husband Seth Clemmer 05
welcomed baby Annabelle into the
world on May 13, 2016. The family
lives in Naperville, Illinois.
Marissa (Marler) Geyer 09 and
husband Joel Geyer welcomed
baby Austin Mae into the world
on Thursday, July 21, 2016. The
family lives in New Palestine,
Indiana.
Rachel (Deeter) Nullmeyer
09 married Mike Nullmeyer on June 18, 2016. Rachel

Pastor Travis Hartjen 97 serves at Tangible Grace

Fellowship Church in Allen, Texas, a church plant with
over 150 active members and growing. The Hartjens and
another family moved from Austin to Allen to launch
Tangible Grace in September of 2010.
The focus of Tangible Grace is reminding people that
by the Spirit, through Jesus, we are now loved by the Father, called to love each other and to reach out in Tangible
Grace ways to the community around them. They believe
in being the church wherever they are, being active and
involved and living life as Jesus lived, through deeds and
making a difference.

cune.edu/class-endowment.

36 Broadcastercune.edu

Sara Schultz 13 was installed

as a deaconess at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Fort
Wayne, Indiana on September 4, 2016. She will direct the
congregations music program,
accompany worship and assist with music activities in the St. John-Emmanuel
Lutheran School.

Save the Date

Jan. 19-April 11, 2017
Winter/Spring Alumni Phonathon

Jan. 27-28, 2017

66th Concordia Invitational Tournament, Seward

March 2-12, 2017

University Symphonic Band Tour

March 4-12
Spring Break

March 18, 2017

Plum Creek Books and Breakfast

March 22-26, 2017

University A Cappella Choir Tour

April 7-9, 2017

University Chamber Choir Tour

April 14, 2017

Easter Break

April 21-23, 2017

Spring Weekend

May 4-6, 2017

Golden Reunion

May 6, 2017
Commencement

May 6-24, 2017

University A Cappella Choir International Tour

Share Your News

Pastor Travis Hartjen

Concordia holds 21 endowments that offer scholarships from alumni classes to current students.
Learn more about our class endowment gifts at

Mia (Pauluhn) Thomay 12

married Cal Thomay on December 19, 2015. The wedding
was held at Trinity Lutheran
Church in Cleveland, Ohio. The
couple live in Fairview Park,
Ohio, where Mia is a teacher
and Cal is a data analyst at Progressive.

Morgan (Vitosh) Toensing 15 married Jacob J.T.

Toensing 15 on August 12,
2016. They live in Concordia,
Missouri, where Morgan is a
physical therapy student at
Rockhurst University, and J.T.
is a math teacher at St. Paul Lutheran High School.

Planting a Church

Class Endowments

Daniel Margritz 12, head strength

& conditioning coach at Hope College
in Holland, Michigan, was named the
first strength coach in the schools
150-year history.

currently works as a graphic designer for KidGlov in

Lincoln, Nebraska.

Have you experienced a life-changing event?

Perhaps you got married, had a baby or moved.
Maybe you got another degree, wrote a book or
earned a promotion. Let us know!
Submit details and a photo at cune.edu/broadcaster.

June 14, 2017

Early Childhood Conference

Sept. 28-30, 2017

Plum Creek Childrens Literacy Festival

Oct. 24-Nov. 4, 2017

Germany and Austria Reformation Tour

2010s
Megan (Heidemann) Kophamer 12
and husband Jacob welcomed the arrival of daughter Aurelia Patricia on
Sept. 8, 2016.
#GoHigherBroadcaster

37

In Memoriam

Medallion on the grave of Concordia's first president, Rev. J.

George Weller

Honor and
Remember
In 2012, the Concordia University, Nebraska alumni
council decided to recognize and honor the legacy of
the universitys emeriti faculty. In a project initiated
by emeritus professor Eunice Goldgrabe 66, the
council voted to place bronze medallions containing
the seal of the university on the grave sites of each
deceased full-time faculty member who died while
in office or retired as faculty, thus receiving the rank
of emeritus.
The first medallion was placed on September 26,
2015, by alumni council members Joel Endorf CO
08 GR 11, Roger 63 and Sharon Mailand 63
and former faculty members Rev. Ken Block and
Dr. Goldgrabe at the grave site of Concordias first
president, Rev. J. George Weller. To date, thirty-one
medallions have been placed in Seward, Nebraska
cemeteries. Five former Concordia presidents have
also been included in the commemoration project
thus far, at various locations across the country.
If you wish to honor a Concordia emeritus faculty member, these medallions are available for
purchase. Please contact the alumni office for additional information.

38

Broadcastercune.edu

Dr. Theodore von Fange HS 34 CO 41

Wilma (Dittmann) Dierker HS 38 CO 42
Norman Gerkensmeyer CO 43
Dr. Glenn Einspahr HS 44 CO 47
Gerald Seevers HS 46 CO 50
Byron Norval CO 47
Rev. Dr. Lavern Franzen CO 48
Dr. Robert Sylwester CO 49
Morris Huelle CO 52
James Bode HS 53 CO 57
Charles Stelling HS 54 CO 59
Josephine (Heppner) Young CO 54
Rev. James Schmidt HS 55
Rev. Loel Haak HS 56
Corinne (Luebbert) Hauge CO 58
Ronald Royuk HS 59 CO 63
Ronald Flandermeyer CO 61
Rev. Harlan Limmer CO 61
Barbara (Buss) Pauling CO 61
Lester Zimmerman CO 62
Ella (Kokel) Knudson CO 64
Gerald Bremer CO 65
Richard Crouse CO 65
Ralph Schroeder CO 65
Margaret (Stoelting) Stuenkel CO 65
Dorothy (Moerer) Laubsch CO 66
Veda (Lemler) Beckman CO 67
Rev. Paul Bundschuh CO 67
Carol (Fitz) Haberstock CO 67
Susan (Sturm) Leatzow CO 67
Thomas Lentsch CO 70
Gary Mantey CO 70
David Bickel CO 72
Allen Link CO 72
Daniel Janzow HS 73
Rev. Paul Shropa CO 74
Rev. William Eickhoff CO 76
Pat (Pohlmann) Vawser CO 78
Paul Tewes CO 89
Bradley Mueller CO 04

Mark your calendars for

Concordia's first Day of Giving!

March 23, 2017

give a prayer

give a shout

give a gift

Arranged by year; current as of Dec. 9, 2016.

HS: High School
CO: College
GR: Graduate
#GoHigherBroadcaster 39

800 North Columbia Avenue

Seward, NE 68434-9980

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2017
500 Year Reformation Trip, Germany
London and Europe Study Tour
2018
Thrivent Builds/Habitat for Humanity, Hawaii
Holy Land Study Tour
2019
Denali Express and Inside Passage Glacier Cruise, Alaska
Southwest Bus Trip, Phoenix to Las Vegas
2020
Italy Trip
Northeast Trip, Washington, DC, to Boston
40 Broadcastercune.edu

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