broadcaster

Concordia University, Nebraska

winter 2017 | vol. 95 | no.1

soar
 “[B]ut those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they
will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:31)

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Happy New Year! As 2018 begins, it is exciting to think about the opportunities and challenges that await. The brief
break between semesters has been for Laurie and me a time to refresh, recreate and reset. It is time typically focused
on family: our immediate and extended families, our Concordia family and our family of faith. In the quiet moments
of the brief break, we often find ourselves recounting the blessings of the year past and declaring to each other “God is
so good!” The quiet moments also afford time to peek ahead and pause with wonder to consider “What amazing things
will God do this year? How will He lead, guide and direct our days and deeds through the joys and challenges we will
face as a new year begins?”
I am pleased to invite you to soar with us in 2018. The theme verse for this issue is one of my favorite Bible passages.
When I served as pastor of Peace Lutheran Church in Park Falls, Wisconsin, a parishioner gave me a wall hanging with
this verse inscribed on it. It was especially meaningful because there was a bald eagle’s nest on the edge of town, and
we frequently would see bald eagles soaring above the trees, river and lakes in the area. What magnificent creatures
God created for us!
The focus of Isaiah 40:31 is not soaring eagles but the Lord, Jesus Christ, the one and only begotten Son of God the
Father, full of grace and truth. He made us, redeemed us and called us by faith to follow Him where He leads, guides and
directs. In this issue of Broadcaster, you will read about alumni and students who are soaring because of a common con-
nection: a Christ-centered Lutheran higher education that has equipped them to learn, serve and lead in church and world.
A New Year dawns! A loving, faithful God blesses, leads and empowers us to soar so that we might serve Him and use
all of the gifts, skills and abilities he has given us! Again, this year, God will do amazing things! He will lead and guide
us through the challenges and opportunities the year holds. By His grace and through His mercy, we will soar! We will
run and not grow weary; we will walk and not be faint!

Blessings,

On August 21, 2017, Concordia University, Nebraska experienced 90 seconds of totality during the solar eclipse.
Brian L. Friedrich
photo: Michael Scheer
President

2 Broadcaster cune.edu #GoHigher Broadcaster 3
 Mystery Photo
Broadcaster Staff
Director of Marketing
Seth Meranda GR ’14
6
Editor
Danielle Luebbe

Art Director
The Flying Concordians
Michael Scheer ’14

Contributors On the ground and in the air, Concordia

Jake Knabel prepares its alumni to serve and lead in
Sue M. Roush
Rachel Dorn ’19 the church and world.

University Administration
President & CEO
Rev. Dr. Brian L. Friedrich

Provost
Dr. Jenny Mueller-Roebke HS ’69 CO ’73 GR ’81
10
Executive Vice President, CFO & COO
David Kumm Something to
Senior Vice President for
Enrollment Management & Marketing
Write Home About
Scott Seevers ’89

Vice President for Institutional Advancement An acclaimed television writer attributes

Kurth Brashear her success to encouragement of friends,
Vice President for Student Affairs & Athletics family and the Concordia experience.
Just what exactly is the purpose of a Schmedlap-Mobile? Can anyone tell us more about this photo from the 1967 yearbook?
Gene Brooks CO ’91 GR ’03
Email us at broadcaster@cune.edu!

Board of Regents
Mrs. Krista Barnhouse CO ’95 GR ’01, Lincoln, Neb.
Mr. Stuart Bartruff, Omaha, Neb.
Dr. Dennis Brink, Lincoln, Neb.
Mystery Solved
Mr. Ryan Burger ’04, Lincoln, Neb.
John Gierke ’91 recognizes the splasher from our Summer
Mr. Robert Cooksey CO ’84 GR ’90, Omaha, Neb.
Rev. Dr. Brian Friedrich, Seward, Neb.
14
Rev. Eugene Gierke, Seward, Neb.
2017 mystery photo as Tom Guilford ’92. “I think it was
Rev. Keith Grimm, Andover, Minn.
Shining Christ's Light just one of those moments where the opportunity was
Mrs. Gail Hawkins, Omaha, Neb.
Mr. Timothy Hu, Cheyenne, Wyo. presented and couldn’t be passed up,” Gierke writes. The
Mr. Richard Huebner, Centennial, Colo.
Mrs. Jill Johnson GR ’17, Seward, Neb. A new program at Concordia aims to photo appeared in the 1989 yearbook. According to Gierke,
Mrs. Bonnie O’Neill Meyer, Miami Beach, Fla.
help train educators to serve in our Jonathan Nelson ’93 was the photographer.
Mr. Paul Schudel, Omaha, Neb.
Mr. Timothy Schwan ’72, Appleton, Wis. Lutheran schools. Doug and Dana (Truwe) Netherton CO ’94 GR ’06 also
Rev. Richard Snow, Seward, Neb.
Dr. Andrew Stadler, Columbus, Neb. remember the event: “The slip ’n’ slide was between Jesse
Mr. Erik Vieselmeyer, Holyoke, Colo.
Rev. James Woelmer GR ’99, Plano, Texas and Weller,” they write. “It was after a heavy rain, but I do
not recall if anyone else had the nerve to try this after Tom.”
About the Cover
The theme verse for this issue of Broadcaster
Faculty and Student 16 Concordia Scene
is Isaiah 40:31. “[B]ut those who hope in the
Lord will renew their strength. They will soar
Highlights
on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow
Discover the many accomplishments 26 Athletics We love hearing from our readers!
weary, they will walk and not be faint.” We
hope this new year brings you many blessings of our students, faculty and staff. Have feedback or comments on our latest issue?
and renewed hope in Jesus Christ, the light of
the world! cune.edu/highlights 34 Alumni & Friends We want to hear from you! Email the editor at
broadcaster@cune.edu.
© 2017 Concordia University, Nebraska

#GoHigher Broadcaster 5
 The Flying
Concordians
story: Danielle Luebbe
photos: Courtesy of Jeb Myers ’04, Anne Schutte ’92,
Owen Kinnan ’07 and Jose Beaton ’05
A very diverse group of Concordia University, Nebraska
alumni have several things in common: a Christ-centered
education, faith in God and a love of flying.

T he engines rev up with a high-pitched whine. As

the plane gains speed across the tarmac, the wheels
bounce and jolt over the ground, and the whine becomes
a deep rumble. Pressure pushes you back against your
seat, and you begin to recline. Then the plane is airborne,
and quiet descends. This is the freedom of being in the
air and the majesty of flight.
According to the Smithsonian’s Air & Space Magazine,
82 percent of Americans have been a passenger in a plane
at least once in their life. So most of us have experienced
what was once considered an impossibility. However,
less than 600,000 Americans can say they’ve been in the
pilot’s seat, and the number of people with a license to fly
Captain Jeb Myers served as a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter pilot in Afghanistan from July 2016 to April 2017. is declining every year.
And yet the thrill of flight continues to call to people:
the fun, the adventure, the challenge. Some Concordia
University, Nebraska aviators tell us what it is that makes
the exhilaration of flying among the clouds worth the
time and training.
Cruising Altitude
Anne Schutte ’92 is an associate professor of psychology
at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and a graduate
of the psychology and math programs at Concordia. It
was her husband who first introduced her to the thrill of
flight. “On our second date, my husband took me flying,”
recalls Schutte. “I think I fell in love with him and flying
at the same time.” Though they didn’t have an airplane

Anne Schutte prepares for takeoff in her single-engine airplane.
Owen Kinnan worked as an assistant crew chief and flight line
technician for the Air National Guard in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Captain Jose Beaton, Jr., piloted the UH-1Y Venom helicopter
for more than ten years in the U.S. Marine Corps.
8 Broadcaster cune.edu
of their own at the time, the couple borrowed a plane so
Anne could take flying lessons.
The Schuttes now own a Cessna 172, a small, single-
engine plane that is one of the most popular aircrafts in
history. It’s a plane that was used in 1958 to set the world
record for the longest amount of time spent in flight with-
out landing: 64 days, 22 hours, 19 minutes and 5 seconds.
“There are many things I love about flying,” Schutte
says. “The beauty of the sky and land from up above, the
feeling of freedom, how relaxing and calming it is, and the
camaraderie of the aviation community, to name just a few.”
Remote Control
Kurt Jostes ’07 is the deputy director of RAI Ministries,
Inc., a not-for-profit service organization that provides
housing, meals and service project coordination to vol-
unteers at Camp Restore in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Jostes first became interested in aviation in grade school,
when he discovered plastic model airplanes. “I built my
first remote controlled aircraft in eighth grade and was
actually looking at the United States Air Force Academy
before I chose Concordia,” he says.
But even though his career path after graduation didn’t
include flying, that doesn’t mean Jostes let his love of
aviation fade. He still flies radio-controlled aircraft with
the New Orleans Model Aviation Club. “I own an AT-6
Texan and Supermarine Spitfire, each with wingspans
around seven feet,” says Jostes. “The combination of
their 1930s art-deco design aesthetics with sheer speed
and maneuverability is a beautiful thing.”
Recently, Jostes joined the brand-new Big Easy Wing
of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF), a nonprofit
that restores and flies full-scale WWII aircraft. It’s just
one more step in his aeronautical journey. “Aviation is
a paradoxical combination of complete discipline and
complete freedom,” he says. “Success demands meeting
precise mechanical tolerances and following rigorous
operating procedures, yet the sky provides a near-limitless
canvas for imagination and aerobatics.”
Like Jostes, Brandon Wood ’15 enjoys the challenge of
problem solving that comes from flying remotely. Wood is a
surveyor-in-training, which means he uses a drone—a Phan-
tom 4 Pro—to process topographic surveys, create GIS maps
and collect other kinds of data for construction and design.
“I have always been interested in flying a drone,” says Wood.
“I wanted to get into an area of work that was challenging,
always changing, where I could do research and solve prob-
lems. Becoming a drone pilot has given me just that.”
Beyond the challenge of being a drone pilot, Wood loves Ingerslew Lange ’04. Ingerslew is a captain in the United
flying because of the different perspective it gives him. “I States Air Force, serving as a weapon systems officer
enjoy flying the drone because it gives me the ability to see (WSO) on the B-52 and in training to become a WSO
miles away, which helps give me a better understanding on the B-1.
of how our earth works,” he says. “I always remember the mission statement during
my time at Concordia: preparing servant leaders for the
Top Flight
church and world,” Ingerslew continues. “In many ways
Owen Kinnan ’07 was always fascinated with anything
the military parallels that mission statement. It may not
that had to do with flying and aviation, long before he
be called servant leadership in the military, but servant
was a non-traditional student at Concordia where he
leadership resonates in everything we do.”
graduated at the age of 63 through Concordia’s Degree
Jeb Myers ’04 pilots a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter
Completion Program.
for the Nebraska Army National Guard, based out of Lin-
“I worked for a commuter airline out of the Central
coln, Nebraska. He’s part of a medical evacuation unit, a
Nebraska Regional Airport in Grand Island as an aircraft
position he says has one of the most rewarding missions
mechanic and technician,” Kinnan says. “I also worked
in the army. “Concordia’s culture and values shape who
for the Air National Guard component of the Air Force
we are and prepares students to be leaders in their field.
Reserve as an assistant crew chief and a flight line tech-
Concordia provides not only subject matter knowledge,
nician. I earned my pilot’s license on my own way back
but establishes morals and ethics which enable a person
in 1968. I did some additional flying and training with
to be a confident leader in all aspects of their lives.”
the commuter airline on the cargo aircraft. I also worked
Brandon Wood’s journey to piloting a drone began
as a machinist for Sundstrand Aerospace in the York,
at Concordia, while he was earning degrees in physics,
Nebraska plant.”
geography and chemistry. “Concordia didn’t give me all
Kinnan spent two years at Northrop Institute of
the answers, but it did give me the problem-solving skills
Technology in Inglewood, California, studying aircraft
and knowledge to attack any problem that may come at
maintenance. He served in the United States Marine
me,” says Wood. “One of the most important things to
Corps during the Vietnam War. “My background is diverse
know in surveying is problem-solving, and Concordia
and perhaps a little unusual in that my life’s experiences
helped a lot with that.”
have been so varied,” says Kinnan. But flying and working
Jose Beaton agrees. “You can get ‘book smarts’
on aircrafts has always been a central part of those ex-
anywhere ( just pick up a book), but learning how to
periences. “I have always been fascinated with aviation
learn and how to adapt as a Christian in our rapidly
and flying,” Kinnan continues. “I enjoy the challenge of
changing world takes time, and being surrounded by
learning to fly and applying new things learned to flying.”
the compassionate and harmonious community at
Like Kinnan, Jose Beaton, Jr. ’05 served in the Marine
Concordia was an invaluable learning experience. I
Corps. “I flew the UH-1Y Venom, also called the Super
was a leader in the military, am a leader in my current
Huey, or in the Marines we just called it the ‘Yankee,’”
industry, and have held numerous leadership posi-
says Beaton.
tions in the churches we’ve attended. Being business
Beaton likes that anyone can be a pilot, no matter their
minded and computer savvy, smart with money, able
background or circumstance. “Whether in the military, as a
to communicate effectively and professionally, and
civilian professional or even as a recreational aviator there
above all striving to model my leadership philosophy
are a lot of great opportunities in the world of aviation,” he
after the Lord Christ, has made all the difference in
says. “You don’t necessarily have to be an engineer, study
successfully navigating adult life.”
aeronautical science, or be ‘rich’ to get into this field.”
On the ground or in the air, Concordia prepares its
Prepared to Lead students and alumni to serve, always keeping Christ at
There are a few things that connect this very diverse the center. And that’s also the best thing about flying,
group of pilots: a Concordia education, the love of flight according to Beaton. “The open sky, the glory of God’s
and faith in the God who created it all. creation above and below, and the freedom to explore it
“I didn’t realize until joining how well Concordia in a way millennia of civilization could only dream of –
prepared me for a career in the military,” says Margaret what is there not to like?”
#GoHigher Broadcaster 9
 Something to
Write Home About
story: Sue M. Roush
photos: Courtesy of Jenn Carroll and Heather Marion ’05
Heather (Williams) Marion came to Concordia from small-
town Nebraska as a biochemistry major, but ended up
writing for an award-winning television show.

D eep in the desert near Albuquerque, New Mexico,

Heather Marion on the set of the award-winning television show “Better Call Saul.”
a man sits on a rocky hilltop, a rifle in his hands,
sighting in on some men standing below. The gun swings
side to side as the man coldly chooses his target, zeroing
in on one then another, weighing his options.
And cut. The rest of the set bursts into action as
makeup artists rush forward with brushes, costumers
make minor adjustments to the actor’s wardrobe and
the writer, script in her hand, leans forward to suggest a
small change to the director.
It’s just another day at work for Heather Marion,
one of the staff writers for the award-winning television
show “Better Call Saul.”
Heather Marion came to Concordia University, Ne-
braska from Superior, Nebraska, to study biochemistry
in the fall of 2001. Her plan was to go to medical school to
become either a funeral home director and take over the
family business or a pediatrician. Having grown up in the
Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS), she already
knew several people at Concordia and was attracted by

Executive Producer Vince Gilligan, scriptwriter Heather Marion, and
actors Jim Beaver and Jonathan Banks take a break from filming.
Marion is still close with her siblings, and spends
as much time with family as she can.
“I set my sights on screenwriting, let go of all my
back-up plans, and moved to Los Angeles in 2008
with all my stuff in my lil’ Pontiac Grand Am.”
12 Broadcaster cune.edu
the Concordia University System Exchange program. So
armed with volleyball and academic scholarships, she
enrolled at Concordia.
“I went to high school with quite a few Bulldog
alumni, actually. The Ekart siblings, the Meyers
brothers, the Blecha brothers, Erin Eitzmann, Ann
Hershberger, Jacob Sumpter, Montana and Emily
Hayes and my own two sisters Lauren and Amy Wil-
liams... just to name a few,” says Marion. “We were
Wildcats in high school. So now we’re Wild Dogs?
Or maybe Bullcats?”
Marion’s father, David Williams, is a mortician in
Superior and, together with his brother Dayre, operates
Williams Funeral Homes in Superior, Red Cloud, and
Edgar, Nebraska. Her mother, Kim, is the bookkeeper
at Superior High School and in the summers leads the
Vacation Bible School program at Centennial Lutheran
Church.
The oldest Williams child of four, she led the way to
Concordia for two of her siblings. Lauren (Williams)
Isaacson received her master’s degree in elementary
school administration from Concordia in 2011. She
teaches back home in Superior where she and her hus-
band, Jordan, live with their three children, Avaleigh,
Sawyer and Mason.
Her youngest sister, Amy (Williams) Meyers, earned
her bachelor’s degree from Concordia in 2010. After
graduation, she accepted a call from Zion Lutheran El-
ementary school in San Francisco where she lives with
her husband Tim ’08 and son, Jude.
The family’s youngest, Rhys Williams, works as an
attorney in St. Louis, Missouri.
“While at CUNE, I wanted to take the opportunity to
explore other parts of the country through Concordia’s
exchange program,” says Marion. “I spent 2002 to 2003
at Concordia College in Bronxville, New York, where
I took more drama, writing, performing and debate
courses than I had in Nebraska, as I wanted to spend
as much time as possible exploring Broadway, Times
Square and the NYC entertainment scene during my
temporary stay.”
Once she returned to Concordia Nebraska, she began
taking courses in literature, journalism, history and dra-
ma and soon, changed her major to English. In 2005, she
graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in English, with
minors in history and Spanish.
“I’ve always loved reading and writing, to the point of
bumping into the walls with my head buried in books in
elementary school to spending my independent studies
in high school writing essays on Ayn Rand novels, so I
switched paths in order to pursue possible writing-based
fields after undergrad,” Marion says.
After graduation, she began work as a photojournalist
at News Link, a media company in Lincoln, Nebraska, that
generates newsletters for other companies. Their clients
included Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Union Pacific,
and CSX railroads. While with News Link, Marion trav-
eled around the country with a hard hat, steel-toed boots,
and a reflective vest stopping at rail yards to photograph
and interview ‘railroaders’ for newsletter content – a job
she loved.
“After a few years, though, I was still feeling a writing
itch,” says Marion. “I needed to try another kind. I called
Lew Hunter, a mentor of mine from Superior who had
visited the elementary and high schools as I was growing
up to talk to us about creative writing.”
Hunter also happened to be a professor and Chair Emer-
itus of the Master of Fine Arts program in Screenwriting
at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He
also taught two-week long screenwriting workshops in
Superior every summer. His encouragement was the final
push Marion needed.
“With the support of my family and best friends/
housemates Steph ’06 and Jeni McGowen ’06, and the
countless other amazing friends in my life, I set my
sights on screenwriting, let go of all my back-up plans,
and moved to Los Angeles in 2008 with all my stuff in
my lil’ Pontiac Grand Am.”
Her first job in L.A. was working as a development
intern for Emmy-award winning producer Laura Ziskin
who produced movies such as “Pretty Woman,” “What
About Bob,” and several from the “Spiderman” franchise.
Marion read scripts and wrote synopses and opinions of
the scripts. It was during this time that Marion attended
UCLA’s Professional Program in Screenwriting.
Her second job was working as executive and personal
assistant to television producer Jill Soloway. As her as-
sistant, Marion worked on two shows, “United States of
Tara” and “How to Make it in America.”
In 2010, Marion became executive and writer’s as-
sistant to Jeff Garlin, becoming his producing partner
in 2012, earning the title of Associate Producer of his
second feature film, “Dealin’ with Idiots.” “While working
for Jeff, I wrote and performed in weekly sketch shows
at ‘Straitjacket Society’ and ‘Upright Citizens Brigade,’
and I attended graduate school full-time, earning my
Master of Fine Arts degree in screenwriting from UCLA
in June 2013.”
Just out of UCLA and during the filming of season
two of “The Goldbergs,” Marion applied for a job on the
show “Better Call Saul,” a spin-off of “Breaking Bad.” She
was hired as the writers’ assistant of the show created
by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould (AMC/Sony/Netflix).
She took on a dual writers’ assistant/script coordinator
role for Season 2 of “Better Call Saul,” while co-writing
the finale episode (#210, “Klick”) with Vince Gilligan.
That script earned a nomination for a 2017 Writers
Guild Award.
“I am blessed to have become a full-time staff writ-
er for season 3 of ‘Better Call Saul’, earning my first
solo-writing credit (Episode #308, ‘Slip’),” Marion
says. “I am currently in the writers’ room for season
4 and I’m developing a feature project with Jeff Garlin
for Netflix. I’m so thankful for my job—all of it! God’s
brought the most wonderful people and opportunities
into my life.”
Marion credits her family, friends and Concordia
University as instrumental in shaping her life and career.
“The faculty at Concordia encouraged, instructed, guided
and offered spiritual support that gave me the skills to
succeed in this industry and the courage to give it my
best shot,” Marion said. “Dr. Lisa Ashby ’88, Dr. Daniel
Thurber ’68, Dr. Jerry Pfabe, Dr. Robert Fiala ’60, and
many, many more!”
One of her favorite Concordia memories took place
right after she arrived her freshman year.
“The first night at Concordia, during our first hall
meeting (David SE Pit, I’m pretty sure), I sat next to
a pretty, lanky, friendly gal who introduced herself
as Rachel Gregg ’06. By 30 seconds into the first ice
breaker, we realized we were pretty much the same
person. A dozen years later, she’s one of my all-time
besties and I talk to her regularly. That night sums
up my entire Concordia experience—every day that
I was there.”
#GoHigher Broadcaster 13
 Shining
Christ’s Light
story: Danielle Luebbe
photo: Courtesy of Concordia Marketing Department
Concordia University, Nebraska’s Lutheran School
Ministry Program is designed to provide practical
instruction about what it is that makes a Lutheran
Christian education unique.
S erving in Lutheran schools is one of the noblest pro-
fessions in the world. Because of their Christ-centered
curriculum, Lutheran schools offer a holistic education
that provides outstanding academic preparation built
upon a foundation of faith, which impacts children’s
lives for eternity.
More than 33 percent of current rostered Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod educators received their edu-
cation at Concordia University, Nebraska. Still, Lutheran
schools have an unmet need for teachers and adminis-
trators that exceeds current church work graduates of
all the Concordia universities combined.
“In our Lutheran schools today, there are roughly 21,000
educators,” says Bob Ziegler ’81, executive for education
and youth ministries for the Nebraska District LCMS.
“Eleven thousand of those educators are not synodically
trained or eligible to be on the roster.” In short, about
half of the teachers serving in LCMS schools around the
world are non-LCMS Christians. Seeing this as both a
challenge and an opportunity, Concordia Nebraska is
pleased to introduce a practical solution—the Lutheran
School Ministry Program.
The Lutheran School Ministry Program is designed
for non-LCMS educators who serve in our Lutheran
schools and want additional training to incorporate
the Lutheran educational ethos into their classrooms.
Beginning in January 2018, four online 8-week modules
will be offered, providing instruction on what makes a
Lutheran Christian education unique.
The Lutheran School ministry program aims at a dif-
ferent audience than the LCMS's colloquy program, which
prepares existing LCMS educators with the additional
14 Broadcaster cune.edu
doctrinal training that results in rostered church worker
status. The Lutheran School Ministry Program does not
lead to membership on the LCMS roster, but instead,
supplements colloquy by offering theological training in
LCMS doctrine to those who may not be eligible for the
colloquy program.
“The Lutheran School Ministry Program is unique
because it provides professional development in an online
classroom setting to teachers who desire to learn more
about integrating the faith in the classroom,” says Ken
Sankey ’80, program director. “The program concentrates
on the four primary areas that make a Lutheran school
truly distinctive: doctrine, ethos, the Lutheran classroom
and vocation.”
The Lutheran School Ministry program is Concor-
dia’s response to Resolution 8-01A from the 2016 LCMS
national convention, which calls for the strengthening
of the Lutheran ethos in all Lutheran schools. In addi-
tion, the number of non-synodically trained teachers
in Lutheran schools continues to increase, and, as a
result, educators from around the world are seeking
opportunities for training teachers in the Lutheran
school tradition.
“As our populations become more diverse, so do our
teaching populations,” says Matt Stueber, principal of
Messiah Lutheran School in Lincoln, Nebraska. “We are
excited to be able to offer a unique way for our teachers
to stick their toe in the water of what a Lutheran school
is, as that compares to what a public school is or another
Christian tradition.”
Learn more about the Lutheran School Ministry
Program at cune.edu/lutheranschool.
#GoHigher Broadcaster 15
 Concordia Scene
ACADEMICS
U.S. News & World Report
Concordia University, Nebras-
ka, continues its climb up the
“Best Regional Universities—
composition testing. Similar to systems that weigh one’s
displacement underwater, the BOD POD uses air displace-
ment plethysmography to determine the body’s density
and calculate its composition of fat and fat-free mass.
ACADEMICS

Hard Time Internships

Midwest” category of U.S. News
Diversity Speaker
& World Report’s Best Colleges rankings. In the 2018 edi-
The Student Committee for Diversity and Inclusion
tion, Concordia Nebraska is ranked 38 of 165 universities
at Concordia invited Jason R. Thompson, Director for
listed in its category, an increase of 16 spots in the last five story: Rachel Dorn ’19
Diversity and Inclusion for the United States Olympic
years. Concordia also earned a place on the “Great Schools, photos: Courtesy of Grady Gardner ’17
Committee, to speak to the faculty, staff and students
Great Prices” and “A+ Schools for B Students” lists. Concordia students serve and lead through internships
about several topics of diversity and community. with the Nebraska Department of Corrections.
THEATRE
ACADEMICS
Mary Poppins
Largest Undergraduate Enrollment

Concordia University, Nebraska’s theatre department
presented the fun-loving musical “Mary Poppins” for
their fall production.
COMMUNITY
New Members Elected to the Board of Regents
On July 25, 2017, Concordia appointed Stuart Bartfruff,
Gail Hawkins and Erik Vieselmeyer as new members of
the Board of Regents to serve three year terms.
ART
Alumni Art Exhibit
Concordia alumni Holle Bode-Anderson ’94 and David
Dolak ’03 presented a joint exhibit in the Marxhausen
Gallery of Art in October. Bode-Anderson’s exhibition,
titled “Hello Holle,” featured a wide assortment of graphic
design solutions including business collateral, annuals,
branding, web and promotional work. Dolak’s contribu-
tion, titled “Since 2003: An Alumnus Story,” highlighted a
series of paintings and linocut prints drawn from candid
photography of family members.
ACADEMICS
Body Composition Analyzing System
Concordia University, Nebraska’s department of health
and human performance has enhanced their depart-
ment’s technology with the addition o the BOD POD Body
Composition Analyzing System to their lengthening list
of equipment. The BOD POD is the gold standard in body
Concordia’s incoming fall 2017 class of 391 undergraduate
students is the third largest incoming class at Concordia
in decades. Full-time undergraduate enrollment increased
to 1,209 students on the Seward campus, the highest en-
rollment in 44 years. In addition, the university’s College
of Graduate Studies and Adult Education serves 874
full-time and part-time adult learners.
COMMUNITY
Dedicating New Facilities
Concordia dedicated a new facility for the Center for
Liturgical Art (CLA) and a Colonnade for Bulldog Sta-
dium during Homecoming Weekend, September 22. The
CLA was constructed on the site of the former Reinhold
Marxhausen family home, thanks to generous donations
from the Marxhausen family and Rev. Dr. Harvey and
Carol (Schultz) Lange ’73. A new colonnade, including
the Concordia Gate, Victory Bell and “The Victor” cross
tower were added to Bulldog Stadium. “The Victor” was
designed by the CLA and was made possible through the
generosity of Bill and Doris Hartmann of Seward.
MISSION TRIPS
Students and Staff Serve Throughout the World
Multiple students and staff from Concordia traveled
internationally this past summer on mission and study
trips, serving in Guatemala, China, Haiti, Costa Rica, Fiji,
India, London, Poland and Spain.
E
ach year, the Nebraska Department of Corrections
takes on ten interns; this year, nearly half of that
number consisted of Concordia students.
Four Concordia students went through the depart-
ment’s rigorous six-week training program, testing their
personal skills, learning the rules and working in actual
prisons. Students Anthony Zepeda ’18, Grady Gardner ’17,
and Lauren Martin ’19 all worked the same shift at the
Nebraska State Penitentiary (NSP) while Kaitlyn Buresh
’18 put her psychology background to use at the Depart-
ment of Corrections’ Diagnostic and Evaluation Center
(DNE). Each of them is majoring in criminal justice but
have different career paths, whether law enforcement,
parole or law.
Lauren Martin, double majoring in criminal justice
and communications, wants to pursue a future in law
school but thought this would be a good start. “It’s a
good way to feel out the justice system,” said Martin. “I
enjoyed the classes because we got lots of info on how
everything’s run and the regulations of what you can
and can’t do.”
Besides training, the interns in the penitentiary were
entrusted with monitoring the security screens, walking
the yard and patrolling inmates. Buresh was even allowed
on the floor with the inmates, escorting them and assisting
in their processing and transitions into different prisons
along with observing the DNE’s mental health unit. Every
day brought about a different duty for each intern to do,
though the one constant was to keep people safe and to
keep order.
Gardner said that this was unlike any other internship.
“They treat you like an official correctional officer, not just
an intern. You can’t mess up like a normal intern either.
It’s a high pressure job but one of the best internships I
could have hoped for.”
There are ten state prisons and correctional insti-
tutions located throughout Nebraska, but all personnel
are trained at the center in Lincoln. Other undergrads,
graduate students and even professional policemen
looking to branch out into corrections were in the same
training program as Concordia’s four.
And as Gardner pointed out, the gratitude of the un-
derstaffed guards was a daily occurrence. “Every time
we go, they just thank us for being there. They need a lot
of help, and I wish more people would recognize what a
big job corrections has.”
In the meantime, Gardner, Zepeda and Buresh will
continue their work in the Department of Corrections
through the school year and possibly beyond. As any of the
four will tell you, it has been a great learning experience.
“I went in with a lot of judgements, but it’s eye opening,”
added Buresh. “You realize they’re humans too. It made
me really want to be that person that puts them back on
the right track, even if it’s just one person.”

16 Broadcaster cune.edu #GoHigher Broadcaster 17
Reformation 500
As part of the ongoing celebration of the 500th Anni-
versary of the Reformation, Concordia hosted multiple
events, including:
Speakers
• Rev. Dr. Charles P. Arand, the Eugene E. and Neil S.
Fincke Graduate Professor of Theology at Concordia
Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, presented “From
Nothing…Everything: Luther’s Theology of Creation
and Re-Creation.”
• Dr. Michael Rodewald, executive director for Luther-
an Bible Translators, presented “The Reformation
Continues: God’s Word for Every Language.”
• Rev. Dr. Jon Vieker, Senior Assistant to the President
of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, presented
“Luther and the Lutherans: Singing the Gospel into
People’s Ears for 500 Years.”
Music Events
• Concordia’s music department presented “Redeemed
by His Grace: A Hymn Festival Celebrating the 500th
Anniversary of the Reformation,” as Rev. Dr. Jon Vieker
acted as commentator and gave historical and spiritual
background to the hymns.
• Dr. Joseph Herl GR ’02, Concordia professor of music,
presented “Worship in the Sixteenth Century: What
going to church in the sixteenth century was like.”
• A Hymn Sing Along was held at Bottle Rocket Brewing
Company in Seward, consisting of polka music by the
Firehouse Five, a local band, and Andrew Schultz ’89,
assistant professor music. Hymns by Martin Luther
were led by Paul Soulek ’07.
500 Years of Worship
Concordia University, Nebraska celebrated the 500th Anni-
versary of the Reformation with a worship service and din-
ner on Oct. 29, 2017 in Walz Arena. Rev. Dr. Timothy Sale-
ska, professor of Hebrew and Old Testament exegetics at
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, gave the sermon. Following
the worship service, a German Fest dinner was held. The
menu included German potato salad, beef rouladen, chick-
en schnitzel, bratwurst with sauerkraut, pretzel breads,
cheese blintzes and Black Forest cake. Entertainment was
provided by local Seward, Nebraska band, Firehouse Five
and Redeemer Polka Brass out of Lincoln, Nebraska.
18 Broadcaster cune.edu
ACADEMICS
English Professor at International
MUSIC
Musical Arts Day Trending
@ CUNE
London Conference Concordia hosted high school honor choir and band
Dr. Daniel Thurber ’68, professor emeritus of English at students for Musical Arts Day on Friday, Oct. 27.
Concordia University, Nebraska, presented “An Exploration There were 202 students selected to participate out
of the Fictional and Poetic Worlds of Joyce Carol Oates” of nearly 300 who auditioned. Members of Concor- ICYMI, here’s a look at some of Concordia’s most popular
as part of the 15th International Conference on New Di- dia's University A Cappella Choir and Symphonic social media posts from fall 2017.
rection in the Humanities at Imperial College in London. Band assisted with rehearsals throughout the day
and performed with the students in an evening con- #CUNE graphic design stu-
COMMUNITY
cert directed by Dr. Kurt von Kampen ’83 and Prof. dents Chelsea Wohlgemuth
Saturday Art Classes
Andrew Schultz ’89. and Emmi Moll restored this
Area elementary and middle school students were in- mural that used to hang in
vited to attend art classes taught by Concordia’s art and ACADEMICS downtown Seward and was
education departments. The sessions were available to Professor Appointed President of MIDTESOL painted over. It’s found a new
pre-kindergarten through eighth grade students and were Dr. Vicki Anderson, chair of the Department of Intercul- home in Brommer Art Center.
Spectacular work, ladies!
taught by Concordia students majoring in elementary tural Studies and Modern Languages and program director
education and overseen by art department faculty. of English as a Second Language (ESL) and Teachers of
English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), was
MUSIC
elected president of TESOL’s Mid-American regional
Music Faculty Performance
affiliate for 2018.
Music faculty members at Concordia showcased vocal,
It’s our favorite day of the
instrumental and keyboard musical selections during a MUSIC
year at #CUNE: move in day!
recital on Oct. 8, 2017. The recital featured Talea Bloch, Cantamus Women’s Choir Welcome home, students!
Anne Gray and Dr. Lisa Howell with vocal soprano perfor- Concordia’s newest choir, the Cantamus Women’s Choir,
mances, Dr. Elizabeth Grimpo and Dr. David von Kampen debuted its inaugural season with a performance at St.
on piano, Julia Marble ’12 on violin, Dr. Wendy Schultz John Lutheran Church in Seward, Nebraska. The newly
on trombone and Paul Soulek ’07 on organ. auditioned ensemble consists of 52 students representing
a wide range of academic disciplines.
ACADEMICS
Professors Win Statewide Awards ACADEMICS Happy #FirstDayofFall,
Dr. Jennifer Janousek, associate professor of health and Concordia Radio Project #CUNE!
human performance at Concordia and program director of Concordia University, Nebraska is collaborating with
Master of Public Health, was recognized by the Nebraska KNNA The Cross at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Society for Health and Physical Education (SHAPE) for in Lincoln, Nebraska on programming for their radio
#CUNE students, staff and
the 2017 Health Education Teacher of the Year award station. The Concordia Radio Project is recording pro-
faculty collected donations
for her ongoing commitment and dedication to health grams in Concordia University’s campus studio and
and volunteered at Project
education. In addition, Don Robson, professor of art and then plans to broadcast them from Lincoln. Professor Homeless Connect in @City-
chair of the art department at Concordia, was recognized or student interviews will be some of the show’s pro- OfLincoln. Way to #GoHigher!
by the Nebraska Art Teachers Association (NATA) as the grams as well as music groups and bands on campus
2017 Higher Education Art Educator of the Year for his playing their music.
ongoing commitment and dedication to art education. Join #CUNE for Military Ap-
ACADEMICS
preciation Day Oct. 28 at the
COMMUNITY High Impact Grant Awarded @CUNEFootball game. Help
Plum Creek Children’s Literacy Festival Dr. Amanda (Reither) Geidel ’96 and Dr. Vicki Anderson us honor our area service
Concordia University, Nebraska hosted its 22nd annual have been awarded a “High Impact” grant from Concordia members & cheer on the
Plum Creek Children’s Literacy Festival Sept. 28-30, 2017, in order to continue exploring partnership opportunities Bulldogs!
featuring an assortment of nationally renowned authors with Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf. The High /concordianebraska
and illustrators to encourage a love of reading, writing Impact grant funds awarded to select faculty members /CUNE
and books. The festival was named an official event of are for use in the development of new educational expe- /concordianebraska
the Nebraska Statehood 150th Celebration. riences for their students. /concordiane
#GoHigher Broadcaster 19
Homecoming 2017

photos: Allison Brooks ’19

From left: Payton DeVencenty ’18 and Jan Stein-

brueck ’18 were crowned Homecoming King and
Queen 2017. Running back Atanasio Simba ’21
and the Bulldogs football team ring the Victory
Bell during the 29-18 defeat of No. 7 Doane. Rev.
Dr. Harvey and Carol (Schultz) Lange ’73 cut the
ribbon during the dedication of the new Center
for Liturgical Art building. Kourtney Pottschmidt
’21 cheers on the Bulldogs. “The Victor” cross
tower was dedicated by Bill and Doris Hartmann
of Seward, Nebraska, Kurth Brashear and Pres-
ident Brian Friedrich. The Homecoming fair on
the plaza was full of games and treats.

#GoHigher Broadcaster 21
 If the
Crown Fits…
story: Danielle Luebbe
photo: Concordia Archives
In 1969, Concordia sent two Miss America contestants to
Atlantic City to compete for the crown.
I t must have been a particularly attractive and talented
year for Concordia University, Nebraska (then Concor-
dia Teacher’s College). In 1969, Concordia delivered two
Miss America contestants: Miss Iowa and Miss Nebraska.
Lois (Koth) Theesfield ’72 was named Miss Iowa 1969
when she was a sophomore at Concordia. For a small-town
Iowa farm girl, it was an experience like none other. “I
remember the preparations,” says Theesfield, “buying a
wardrobe, meeting with makeup professionals and even
flying out to Atlantic City to preview the convention hall
organ—the largest pipe organ in the world!” That was a
special thrill for music major Theesfield. Her performance
on that organ earned her a scholarship for placing in the
top ten in the talent contest.
Miss Nebraska 1969 was also a music major. For her
talent, Jane (Briggeman) Sype ’70 sang a song accom-
panied by a recording of herself playing pipe organ and
performed a piano solo. She was awarded the title of Miss
Congeniality in a 49-1 vote. According to Theesfield, “She
was an amazing friend to all – it’s no surprise she was
named Miss Congeniality.”
But the best part of the experience for both ladies was
the opportunity to share the Gospel with those they met,
holding prayer circles with the other contestants backstage,
Jane (Briggeman) Sype and Lois (Koth) Theesfield were both invited to the 1969 Miss America pageant. speaking with civic and church groups or even just talking
with people during their travels across the country. “The
22 Broadcaster cune.edu
whole experience was a spiritual mountaintop where the
Lord made known His presence,” Sype says.
After graduation, both Theesfield and Sype continued
their church music service. Sype served as a preschool
and kindergarten teacher, organist and children’s choir
director with several churches and schools in Kansas
before retiring to Lincoln, Nebraska, with her husband
Rev. Ken Sype. The couple have three daughters, Sara
Ernstmeyer ’97, Chara Sype CO ’99 GR ’04 and Kendra
Rueckert ’04, three granddaughters and three grandsons.
Theesfeld began her music career after graduation
as director of music at Redeemer Lutheran Church and
School in New York before returning to Iowa where she
currently works as minister of music, organist and hand-
bell and choir director. Theesfield and her husband, Lynn,
also have three children, Leah, Gretchen and Charles, and
three grandchildren.
The women are grateful for their pageant experience,
and both give the glory for that adventure to God. “The
whole Miss Iowa experience gave me many occasions
to reach out to people with loving hospitality and taught
me that God’s plan for our lives is always for good,” Th-
eesfield says.
Sype adds, “I continually ask the Lord to use me and
each one of us for His glory, that others too will know
His JOY!”
#GoHigher Broadcaster 23
 The Next
Level
story: Danielle Luebbe
photo: Courtesy of Concordia Marketing Department
Concordia University, Nebraska’s Master of Science
in Athletic Administration aims to help students be
successful in the world of sports.

G ood coaches are good listeners. They instill a sense

of purpose and vision in their athletes, and they work
with each individual to help them be better, stronger and
more successful in their sport.
Those same attributes are important for other careers
in athletics administration as well, from athletic direc-
tors to agents to sports journalists to health and human
performance professors.
“The industry of athletics administration is an ul-
tra-competitive field,” says Doug Kuhlmann, program di-
rector for Concordia’s Master of Science in Athletic Admin-
istration. “And it’s a common misconception that breaking
into the field of athletics administration is easily done with
on-the-job training and knowing the right people.”
That’s where a master’s degree comes in handy. “An
advanced degree, coupled with training, hard work and
networking, can provide you with the tools necessary
to find your dream job,” says Kuhlmann. “A degree in
athletics administration will certainly help to propel you
into a future career in the field of sport.”
Concordia University, Nebraska offers two concen-
trations for the M.S. in Athletics Administration degree;
students can choose to focus on either high school or
college-level athletics administration. “It will prepare
you for the challenges you may face as an athletic director
or coach,” Kuhlmann says. “You’ll gain the skills needed
to navigate everything from developing schedules and
managing a budget to fundraising and evaluating staff.
A top-notch curriculum taught by leading experts and
professors will equip you for success in this increasingly
complex and dynamic environment.”
To learn more about Concordia’s graduate degrees,
visit cune.edu/graduate.

24 Broadcaster cune.edu #GoHigher Broadcaster 25
A Winning
Combination
story: Jake Knabel
photos: Leah Mussell ’20, Courtesy of Maria Deeter ’19
Hometown hero Maria Deeter excels on the soccer field
and in the classroom.
M aria Deeter essentially grew up living in the shadow
of Concordia University, Nebraska’s iconic Weller
tower. When she goes home for a holiday or semester
break, she drives long enough to hear one song play – if
it’s a short one. Seriously, the drive is so abrupt that it’s
barely long enough to even begin to hold a conversation
with Maria about her background and the history of a
Deeter family full of Bulldogs.
It’s also a family with strong ties to Lincoln Lutheran
High School. Says Maria, “I didn’t really have a choice”
when it came to choosing a high school destination. She
landed at Lincoln Lutheran, where her father Chris Deeter
CO ’86 GR’93 teaches physics and chemistry.
While Maria followed the heavily worn family trail to
Lincoln Lutheran, some questioned whether that path
would lead to the same college decision made by parents
Maria Deeter
- 2017 First Team All-GPAC
- United Soccer Coaches NAIA
Scholar All-American
- United Soccer Coaches NAIA Plains
All-Region First Team
- Led team in goals (10)
- Led team in assists (10)
 Chris and Tammy (Saner) Deeter ’86 and elder siblings
Rachel ’09, Alex ’12, Nicholas ’13 and Emelia ’16. Maria’s
obvious soccer talents could potentially open up doors
that would usher her out of her hometown Seward.
“Everything I had heard from high school coaches,
club coaches and other people from the area was that
she was going to go Division I and you had no chance,”
says Concordia head women’s soccer coach Greg Henson.
“When I got the chance to see her play I wasn’t going to
allow somebody in our backyard that was as talented as
she was to leave without a conversation.”
Many of the prognosticators referenced by Henson had
no idea what was really going through the mind of Maria,
who highly valued a Christian education in a small school
setting. Now in the middle of her junior year as a Bulldog
soccer player, she’s become a star and an exemplary stu-
dent-athlete at Concordia. She’s a first team All-GPAC
selection and a NAIA Scholar-Athlete with a nearly 4.0
cumulative grade-point average.
Concordia was never the longshot to become Maria’s
Maria Deeter’s friends and family come out to cheer on the Bulldogs.
college home as some outsiders thought. Bulldog blue
was in her blood. Her dad played soccer here. She grew
up listening to what her siblings had to say about their
own Concordia experiences. It was almost all positive.
Despite overtures from NCAA Division I schools, Maria
committed to Concordia prior to her senior year of high
school.
“If you’re up against Deeter in anything she
deems as a competition, you better bring
your ‘A’ game because she’s going in it to win.”
“I just love it,” Maria says. “I love the atmosphere. I
love getting to know a bunch of people. Now that I’m an
upperclassman I know a lot of people on campus. The
Christian atmosphere is something you can’t compete
with. It’s something I’ve always grown up with. I’ve just
been really blessed.”
How close of a call was it really for Maria? At times,
Maria went back and forth while weighing her options.
When Maria ultimately chose Concordia, some around
the club circuit were shocked. “We tell people that her
experience has been incredible,” says father Chris. “She’s
gotten to play a lot all three years. She’s gotten to go to
Florida. We’ve been able to be there as parents.”
28 Broadcaster cune.edu
Though Maria was born and raised in Seward, she
has spent more of her day-to-day time in her hometown
as a college student than she ever did before arriving on
campus. Soccer and school typically took her to Lincoln
and Omaha, but Maria got started playing soccer around
the age of four when she ran wild on the Seward rec fields.
The game was a natural fit for her personality and her
never-sit-still tendencies that she seemed to inherit from
her mother. Says Maria, “I’m a sports-aholic but when I’m
on the soccer field I just feel like I’m in my element and
comfortable. It’s just second nature. I’ve spent so much
time kicking a soccer ball and playing.”
More and more people in the local soccer community
became aware of Maria while seeing her play club soccer
in Omaha. Chris and Tammy would drive Maria to and
from Omaha from about third grade until her junior
year of high school. Her siblings even joked that she was
spoiled because of all the time and energy spent on her
soccer playing.
Maria takes such ribbings in stride. The youngest of
five children just isn’t going to get by without being picked
on once in a while. Maybe that’s what makes her such a
competitor and so driven to be the best. Says Henson,
“She’s such a competitor in everything she does. I think
all the players on the team would tell you that if you’re up
against Deeter in anything she deems as a competition, you
better bring your ‘A’ game because she’s going in it to win.”
Chris saw that competitive fire in his daughter from a
young age. He never minded the commitment of driving
Maria to Omaha and back as long as she made a commit-
ment of her own. That was easy for someone who would
spend hours in the backyard dribbling the soccer ball.
Once when her Lincoln club team was defeated handily
by one in Omaha, she asked to join that team because she
wanted to be surrounded by the best.
Such competitiveness even extends to making ginger-
bread houses. It was a friendly competition with family
over Thanksgiving break. Says Chris, “She was determined
to make the best gingerbread house even though it wasn’t
really a competition. She’s an incredibly driven young
woman. It doesn’t really matter what it is.”
Whether she had the best gingerbread house or not,
Maria will always have one thing over her siblings: she’s
the only one her father never had to kick out of class at
Lincoln Lutheran. Not only have Chris and Maria bonded
over soccer, they bonded in the classroom over science.
Maria’s so narrowly focused that she mentions studying
when asked about her hobbies, which also include an
obsession for anything to do with sports. She even briefly
considered the possibility of trying to play basketball at
Concordia after excelling at the prep level under head
coach Rich Olson, the father of Bulldog women’s basketball
coach Drew Olson ’03.
It’s safe to say soccer has been a good fit. Maria has
led the program to a combined 44 wins, two conference
championships and a national tournament appearance
over the past three seasons. Henson called her the MVP
of the GPAC this past fall. She led the team in both goals
and assists and was a big reason why Concordia broke
a program record for fewest goals allowed in a season.
“To see how far we’ve come as a team is pretty awesome
and the fact that I’ve been able to be part of it–I can’t ask
for anything else,” Maria says. “There are still goals we
want to accomplish. I only have one year left, but I just
want to look back and say that there’s no doubt I’ve done
everything I can, I’ve worked as hard as I can and we’ve
done the best we could.”
Right in her backyard, Maria has found the Bulldog life
to be exceedingly more rewarding than she could have
imagined. So respected is Maria that she was named a
team captain in the middle of her freshman year. Those
who knew her at an early age could see this coming. She
understood the game at a level that defied her years.
And all these years later, Chris and Tammy still get
to watch their daughter play at a place so familiar to
the family that her college visit glossed over a campus
tour. The decision was a win for the whole family, even
if Tammy sometimes refuses to watch the action late in
a close game. Adds Chris, “Being there has meant the
world to us.” As Henson remembers of his recruiting
visits with Maria, “I think we realized at the same time
that we shared the same vision for the program and what
we wanted to accomplish with the program.”
It’s a Bulldog life, and Maria is soaking it up.
Says Maria, “I’ve been really blessed with a lot of great
friends and teammates. Now I just feel right at home. I
can’t imagine being anywhere else.”
#GoHigher Broadcaster 29

2017 Men’s Soccer Team
- Tied for second place in league standings
- School record wins in a season (16-3-1)
- School record conference wins (7)
- Made third-straight GPAC championship game appearance
30 Broadcaster cune.edu
Having
a Ball
story and photo: Jake Knabel
The 2017 men's soccer team raised the standard while
breaking the program record for most wins in a season.
T he Concordia men’s soccer team is a much different
one than it was ten years ago, when head coach Jason
Weides ’03 took the helm. A number of factors have paved
the way for Concordia’s continued climb up the conference
ladder, including improved facilities, the progression of
Weides as a head coach and a wider recruiting net.
The team has truly gone global in its efforts to compete
with the rest of the conference. Born in Ascot, England,
Toby Down ’18 moved to Hong Kong with his family at
the age of three. He’s been an impact player all four years
as a Bulldog and is the type of recruit that perhaps would
have eluded the program in the past. In fact, the 2017
squad featured 10 players from outside the U.S., including
Ecuador, England, Hong Kong and Spain.
Having such a diverse squad could have led to a lack of
cohesion. But one way the team overcame that obstacle
was by living together in the same house. “Just being to-
gether every day only makes your connections stronger,”
says Down. “And we are all so committed to one goal that
it actually worked out really well.”
Each year Weides seems to figure out a way to do things
a little bit better. Down says Weides is the reason he came
to Concordia, a place he decided to make his new home
without even a campus visit. Once here, Down marveled at
the first-rate facilities. But it was the personal connection
that made the difference in recruiting.
Concordia saw out exactly 16 wins in 2017, shattering
the previous school record of 12 victories in a season. In
the record-breaking 13th victory, Micah Lehenbauer
’18 experienced one of his biggest collegiate thrills by
surfacing with the golden goal in double overtime in a
2-1 triumph at Midland. Lehenbauer and a senior class
that ran nine-deep went out on top, no matter what the
scoreboard read in the GPAC championship game at
Hastings. After a 2-1 season-ending defeat in the title
contest, Weides offered, “We talk about leaving a legacy,
and they left a great legacy.”
#GoHigher Broadcaster 31

Angel Alvarez and Lewis Rathbone
2017 Women’s Soccer Team
Alex La Plant
32 Broadcaster cune.edu
Sports Summaries
Men’s Soccer
For the third year in a row, head coach Jason Weides’ Bulldogs
journeyed to the GPAC postseason championship game. In the
process, this year’s team shattered the program record for wins in
a season that culminated with a 16-3-1 overall mark. The team’s
seven conference wins were a program record and allowed the
Bulldogs to tie for second place in the league standings.
Concordia was the conference’s lone team to have three play-
Ryan Durdon
ers find the back of the net more than 10 times: Micah Lehenbauer
(12), Lewis Rathbone (12) and Marcelo Hernandez (11). Eight
Bulldogs received all-conference laurels. First teamers included
three seniors in Florian Caraballo, Hernandez and Lehenbauer,
while junior Jack Bennett, sophomore Carlos Ferrer and Rath-
bone landed on the second team.
Women’s Soccer
The 2017 team made history by capturing the first ever Bulldog
regular-season conference championship. Along the way, Con-
cordia went through GPAC play unbeaten (9-0-1) while allowing
just a single goal during the entire conference regular-season
schedule. Head coach Greg Henson’s squad clinched the title
outright with a 1-0 win over No. 20 Hastings. An agonizing penalty
kick defeat in the conference tournament title contest prevented
Concordia from reaching the national tournament, something
it has done twice under Henson’s direction. The Bulldogs rose
as high as 21st in the national coaches’ poll this season.
After guiding his team to a 15-2-4 overall record, Henson
pulled in the GPAC Coach of the Year award. A first-year starter,
sophomore Lindsey Carley garnered GPAC Defensive Player of
the Year accolades and was joined on the All-GPAC first team by
freshman Chelsea Bright and junior captain Maria Deeter (team
high 10 goals and 10 assists). Second team honors went to junior
Lauren Martin and freshman Kaitlyn Radebaugh.
Emily Deschaine
Volleyball
Faced with one of the NAIA’s most challenging schedules, the
Bulldogs volleyball team struggled to a 9-19 overall record. Twelve
of the defeats came against teams that sported top 25 national
rankings at the time matches were contested. Freshman Tara
Callahan put forth an impressive individual effort on September
16 when she tallied 33 assists, 12 kills and 11 digs.
Callahan was one of three Bulldogs to collect all-conference
honors. Sophomore Emmie Noyd, the team’s most efficient
attacker (.308 hitting percentage), earned placement on the
league’s second team. Meanwhile, Callahan and sophomore Alex
La Plant picked up honorable mention laurels. A total of nine
players appeared on the list of NAIA Scholar-Athletes.
Russell Otten
Football
Patrick Daberkow’s first season as head coach concluded with an
overall mark of 6-4 and a conference record of 5-3. Concordia’s
third-place GPAC finish was its highest since the 2002 edition
tied for third. The Bulldogs cracked the NAIA national poll,
checking in at No. 25.
Fifteen Bulldogs collected All-GPAC mentions. First team
selections included senior defensive backs Tarence Roby and
D’Mauria Martin, who was named NAIA National Defensive
Player of the Week, as well as freshman linebacker Lane
Napier and junior offensive lineman Matt Romero. Second
team accolades went to senior tight end Seth Fitzke; senior
receiver Jared Garcia, who broke the program’s career re-
ceiving yards record; senior defensive lineman Erik Small
and sophomore running back Ryan Durdon, who rushed for
more than 200 yards three times and accumulated 1,247 yards
on the season.
Cross Country
Senior Emily (Sievert) Deschaine provided the season’s biggest
highlights for head coach Matt Beisel’s cross country programs.
She raced to both GPAC all-conference honors and NAIA
national championship berths for the third year in a row. Her
placements of sixth at the conference meet and 131st at the
national championships both represented career bests.
From a team perspective, the Bulldogs turned in GPAC place
finishes of fifth on the women’s side and sixth on the men’s side.
Junior Thomas Taylor just missed all-conference accolades
while racing to an 18th place GPAC placement. Alyssa Fye (18th)
and Christian Van Cleave (38th) led a group of freshmen that
accounted for 11 of the program’s 20 runners at the conference
meet. Six runners garnered Scholar-Athlete accolades.
Golf
Head coach Brett Muller’s golf programs followed the leads
of junior Nolan Zikas and sophomore Murphy Sears while
navigating five fall events for both men’s and women’s teams.
Zikas is striving for his third-straight All-GPAC honor. He will
enter the spring tied for fifth (70-73–143) in the GPAC stand-
ings. Sears has a shot at her second all-conference award in a
row. She owns a season average of 85.88 and sits in 13th place
(85-86–171) on the conference leaderboard.
At the conclusion of the fall season, the men reside in fourth
place (288-295–583) in the conference standings while the
women are in ninth (383-376–759). The 288 shot by the men
in the opening round of the GPAC championships equaled an
18-hole program record.
#GoHigher Broadcaster 33
 Alumnotes
1970s
Rev. Thomas Chopp, M.Div.,
BCC ’72 formally retired as the first
certified clinical chaplain of Avera
Marshall Regional Medical Center
in Marshall, Minnesota on August
18, 2017. As the first clinical and
board-certified chaplain, his ministry included service
within palliative and hospice care, the Cancer Institute
and the Morningside Heights Nursing Home since 2012.
Tom is married and the father of four children and eight
grandchildren. Tom continues to serve the Marshall
community.
Irene (Grueber) Beethe ’76 recent-
ly received an Award of Commenda-
tion from the Concordia Historical
Institute in St. Louis for her work as
editor of the book, “Charles W. Ore:
An American Original.” She serves as
Kantor at Zion Lutheran Church in Wausau, Wisconsin,
and has served as an adjunct professor in the Church Music
Department at Concordia University Wisconsin. She and
her husband, Ivan Beethe ’76, live in Weston, Wisconsin.
Chase Murman ’16 recently began working
for a start-up tech company in Hollywood,
California, called Pavemint. The Pavemint
app allows users to rent their driveway
or parking space when they aren’t using
it. According to the app’s website, 270
million gallons of gas are wasted yearly
in Los Angeles due to inefficient park-
ing. “The liberal arts education that I
was blessed to receive at Concordia has
been invaluable,” says Murman. “Learning
all the big ideas in all the key academic
disciplines has allowed me to connect
dots that others do not see.”
34 Broadcaster cune.edu
Dr. Paul Koehnke ’77 is celebrating his 21st year at Cen-
tral Piedmont Community College (CPCC) in Charlotte,
North Carolina and is the Dean of the Central Campus,
the largest of the six CPCC campuses in Charlotte serv-
ing approximately 25,000 students a year. In addition to
general campus oversight, Paul leads a number of aca-
demic and workforce programs including culinary arts
and hospitality, visual, performing arts, interior design,
digital media, journalism and communications programs.
Paul and family live in Charlotte.
1980s
Dr. Karen (Mehl) Brack ’80 is starting her 13th year as
the Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
for the Spring Hill School District in Kansas City. She
completed her Doctorate in Educational Leadership at
Saint Louis University in 2008.
Rev. Kent Klawonn ’88 and Sara (Grieger) Klawonn
’88 adopted and baptized Dahir Abdul Klawonn in 2015
and William Owen Klawonn in 2016. Dahir and William
joined siblings Amanda, Moyra and Dietrich.
1990s
Rev. Bart Day ’92, formerly the
Executive Director of The LCMS
Office of National Mission, accepted
the call to become the next Presi-
dent and CEO of Lutheran Church
Extension Fund (LCEF), effective
September 1, 2017. In his new position, Day oversees
LCEF’s investments, loans and ministry support activities,
communicates to and with LCEF’s partner organizations
and assists the LCEF Board of Directors in establishing
the overall course and direction of the organization.
Kris (Keister) Rensner ’92 and her
husband Jason adopted Lindsay Ann,
Noah Keith, and Nathan Jeremiah
in February 2017. The children join
Haley, Quincy (Rensner) Wyatt
’17, Zachery, Josiah ’19, Hayden
’21 and Dillon. The family lives in Effingham, Illinois.
Kristian Crump ’95 joined Toast-
masters International twelve years ago
to increase his communication and
leadership skills. Since then, he has
won the state speaking competition
a record three years in a row. Crump
is the owner of KC&CO, a leadership and public speaking
company. Crump currently lives in Monterey, California.
Dr. Louis Hoffman ’95 was recently appointed as a
Fellow of the Society for the Psychology of Religion and
Spirituality. Dr. Hoffman has engaged in research and
scholarship relevant to the psychology of religion and
spirituality throughout his career, including publishing
three books. He also was one of the first United States
scholars to participate in a project to help develop the
psychology of religion in China, which was supported by
a grant through the Templeton Foundation.
Dr. Helen Hammond ’99 complet-
ed her Ph.D. in Psychology, Industrial
and Organizational Psychology,
which was conferred in September
2017. Helen and her husband Bill re-
side in Phoenix, Arizona, where Hel-
en serves as full-time faculty at Grand Canyon University.
Jennifer (Faig) Hower ’99 was
awarded Teacher of the Year at Tim-
berline High School in Boise, Idaho.
Timberline is currently ranked as the
top high school in Idaho, according to
U.S. News and World Report. Jennifer
and her husband, Joshua Hower ’99, live in Boise with
their three children.
Sheila (Muth) Psencik ’99 GR ’05 was recently
honored as the Texas District Educator of the Year
for 2017 by the Texas District of the LCMS. Psencik
serves as Head of School for Lutheran South Academy
in Houston, Texas.
2000s
Jessica (Joyce) Kite ’02, Concordia’s Director of Hand-
bell Choirs and adjunct professor of music, collaborated
with William Wolfram, professor emeritus of art, and
Concordia art student Taylor Workman ’17, to create the
layout and design of Concordia Handbell Choir’s first CD,
“Faithful.” The 14-track CD was released April 2017 and
is available through the Concordia University Book Store.
Amber (Dermody) Bayer ’03 and
Lucas Bayer are proud to announce the
birth of their second child, Egan Pat-
rick-Otto Bayer on February 21, 2017.
He joins his sister Elsie Bayer (2 years
old) and parents who live in Guernsey,
Iowa. Amber is now a stay-at-home mom, while Luke farms
and works as a paramedic for the county ambulance service.
Jerome Meyer ’03 and Julie
(Kult) Meyer ’04 welcomed
their second son, Elias David, on
June 16, 2016. On September 1,
Julie also celebrated the 10-year
anniversary of her graphic design
firm, 410 Creative, which does marketing design for
Lutheran schools across the country. The family lives
in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Ryan Burger ’04 was recently elected to the board of
directors of the Nebraska Society of Certified Public
Accountants. Ryan and wife Lisa (Kirsch) Burger ’05
and family live in Seward, Nebraska.
Heidi (Griemann) Guenther ’07
and husband Klaus Guenther wel-
comed Baby Clara Elisabeth into the
world on May 24, 2017. The family
lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Kelsey Lambrecht ’09 founded an open en-
rollment charter high school in Baton Rouge,
Louisiana, called Collegiate Baton Rouge,
which began classes in the fall. “All students
deserve access to quality educational experi-
ences,” says Lambrecht. “That’s not happen-
ing for all kids in Baton Rouge. I want 150 kids
each year to graduate, poised and ready to
meet their most ambitious outcomes. I think
we have what it takes to accomplish that.”
#GoHigher Broadcaster 35

Gerri (Osborn) Peterson ’08 and
Dane Peterson ’09 welcomed
daughter Danielle Mae on March
23, 2017. She joined brother Teal, 4.
Danielle was baptized at Shepherd
of the Hills Lutheran Church on
May 21, 2017, in Hyannis, Nebraska. The Petersons live
in Mullen, Nebraska.
Rachel (Micheel) Goodpasture ’09
and Adam Goodpasture welcomed
daughter Emma Catherine into the
world on July 14, 2017. The family
lives in Atchison, Kansas where
Adam is a physical therapist at the
Atchison Hospital and Rachel is a stay-at-home mom.
2010s
Dr. Elizabeth Wooster ’10 graduated from her medical
residency in family medicine from Lincoln Family Med-
icine Residency Program, Lincoln, Nebraska on June 30,
2017. This was the culmination of medical training, and
she is now a board-certified family physician. She began
her practice in Pella, Iowa at the end of summer 2017.
Lindsay (Bartling) Hunt ’11 mar-
ried Chris Hunt on November 26,
2016. The wedding was held at Im-
manuel Lutheran Church in Hooper,
Nebraska. They live in Austin, Texas
where Lindsay teaches at Redeemer
Lutheran and Chris is an electrical engineer at Silicon Labs.
Congratulations to the Concordia Univer-
sity, Nebraska alumni who were chosen
as 2017 Nebraska District LCMS award
winners: Tammy Brock Schroeder ’89, Ele-
mentary Teacher of the Year; James Hardt
’70, Middle School/High School Teacher
of the Year; Anthony Splittgerber ’00,
Administrator of the Year and Martin Hein
’84, Parish Worker of the Year.
36 Broadcaster cune.edu
Rachel (Sprengeler) Mann ’11 and
husband Chris Mann were bless-
ed with their first child, Claireen
Austen Mann, on June 8, 2017, in
Boone, Iowa. Rachel is the Events
Coordinator for the Boone County
Hospital Foundation and coaches cheerleading for Boone
High School. Chris teaches 7th Grade Science at the Boone
Middle School and coaches swimming for Boone High.
Alisha (Bohnert) Schimm ’11
and Aaron Schimm ’09 welcomed
home son Malachi James Thomas
on October 25, 2017. The family lives
in Edmond, Oklahoma.
Bryce Tellmann ’12 graduated from North Dakota State
University in May with a Master’s Degree in Speech
Communication and will begin this fall as a graduate
fellow in Penn State’s Rhetoric Ph.D. program.
Travis Ferguson ’13 graduated from
Concordia Seminary and accepted
his first call as associate pastor to
Grace Lutheran Church in Knoxville,
Tennessee. Ferguson lives in Knox-
ville with his wife, Amy (McDaniel)
Ferguson ’15, who works in the Department of Child and
Family Studies at The University of Tennessee.
Kendra McNatt ’14 is a DCE and
Career Missionary in Frankfurt,
Germany. She interned as a DCE
at Trinity Lutheran Church in
Frankfurt 2013-2014 after which she
received a call as a career missionary
to Trinity Lutheran. Since then she has provided leadership
among the youth and youth workers in Europe through
the Association of International Churches of Europe and
Middle East (AICEME). She has served as the Director
for AICEME in 2015 and is continuing to accept speaking
engagements around Europe at youth conferences.
Dr. Megan Osladil ’14 recently
graduated from Logan College of
Chiropractic in St. Louis, where she
earned her Doctor of Chiropractic
and Masters of Science Sports Sci-
ence and Rehabilitation degrees.
She will be practicing in her home state of Wisconsin,
where she lives in Howards Grove.
Class Endowments
Concordia holds 21 endowments that offer schol-
arships from alumni classes to current students.
Learn more about our class endowment gifts at
cune.edu/class-endowment.
Share Your News
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.
In Memoriam Bulldogs
Dr. Herman Hiesterman CO ’43
Frank Morales CO ’43
LeMoyne Waak HS ’46 CO ’50
on the Road
Frederic Nitschke CO ’46
Dolores (Schmieding) Schmidt HS ’48 Holy Land Study Tour
Betty (Gieseke) Hebel HS ’50 Tel Aviv, Galilee, Bethlehem, Jerusalem
Don Firnhaber CO ’52 May 31-June 14, 2018
Lois (Schaefer) Bauer CO ’52
Join Dr. Mark Meehl, professor of theology, on a pilgrimage
Kenneth Timmerman HS ’53
that you will never forget. Walk in the footsteps of Jesus
Edward Schmidt HS ’54 CO ’58
as you visit Galilee, Jacob’s well, Bethlehem, Garden of
Elizabeth (Heinicke) Schmidt HS ’54 CO ’79
Gethsemane, Mount of Olives and several excavation
Judith (Muhl) Perez HS ’55 CO ’75
sites. Other highlights include the National Memorial to
David Dittberner CO ’55
Herbert Kunkel CO ’55 the Holocaust, and the Israel Museum to view the Dead
Rodney Millard CO ’55 Sea scrolls in the Shrine of the Book. Come to the Holy
Rev. Dale Doerr CO ’59 Land with us, enjoy the camaraderie and fellowship of
Walter Wells HS ’60 the tour, and return with a wealth of new insights into
Kenneth Reiner CO ’60 the Bible and its world.
Edward Haubenstricker CO ’61 GR ’71 Thrivent Builds (Habitat for Humanity)
Dean Wengert CO ’61 Kona, Hawaii
Barbara (Forth) Bartels CO ’64
July 14-21 2018
Leroy Pabst CO ’64
Join Rev. Dr. Brian and Laurie Friedrich for an amazing
Joan (Jantz) Penrose CO ’65
island adventure, and make a powerful impact on the
Lorna (Haseley) Wentzel CO ’66
lives of families at the same time. You can make a world
Steven Fritzler CO ’71
Bradley Hamm CO ’71 of difference for a Kona, Hawaii family, where 80% of the
Terry Hoeft CO ’71 indigenous people live in shacks and run-down housing.
Larry Reimnitz CO ’71 Help lay a foundation, build a wall, paint a home and play
William Sharpe CO ’78 with children in the community as you help a family
Sujay Kollipara CO ’91 achieve their dream of a simple, decent, affordable home.
Arranged by year; current as of November 15, 2017. Visit cune.edu/bulldogsontheroad for more
HS: High School
CO: College
information about all of our upcoming alumni
GR: Graduate trips.
#GoHigher Broadcaster 37
 2017 Homecoming DAY OF $100,000+ Raised
Weekend Celebration GIVING 8,000+ likes, shares, tweets, posts and snaps

ALUMNI AWARD RECIPIENTS ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME

2017 13 pies in the face
by the
numbers 1 Day of Giving
Rev. John Barton Day ’92
Alumnus of the Year
Edmund Martens ’49
Lifetime Service Award
Stephanie (Beberniss) Tietjen ’04
2004 Track and Field

Day of
Brandon McWilliams ’13
Young Alumnus of the Year
Robbins Family
Family Heritage Award
Dr. Eunice Goldgrabe ’66
Professor and Coach 1967-2011

Giving
Preston Harris ’14
Young Alumnus of the Year

Dr. Micah Parker ’91

Servant Leadership Award
Bud Olsson ’12
Lifelong Learner Award

Kenneth and Marlene Block

Honorary Bulldog Spirit Award
Jason Jisa ’06
2005 Basketball

Martin Strohschein ’02

2002 Golf
2018
Save the Date
March 22, 2018
To nominate someone for a 2018 Alumni
Award, visit cune.edu/alumniawards.
2001-02 Men’s Golf

38 Broadcaster cune.edu
800 North Columbia Avenue
Seward, NE 68434-9980

Pray Refer Give

Your prayers, prospective student referrals and financial gifts help Concordia offer a strong ministry
for generations to come. Refer students who value a Christ-centered education and want to make an
impact on our world. Consider giving a gift to help us prepare the next generation of servant leaders.
And most importantly, pray with us to support the work of Concordia University, Nebraska, and to uphold
students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends as they live each day in God’s grace. Visit cune.edu/alumni
to learn more about how you can support our mission.