2022 Concordia College Retiree Appreciation by Concordia College

2022 RETIREE

APPRECIATION

Twenty-two members of the faculty and staff retired during the 2021-22 academic year or will be retiring this summer. They have a combined total of 608 years of service to the college and their contributions are appreciated! Honored retirees include: Anita Brandenburg, Cobber Kids, 27 years Dr. Dan Breedon, Music, 47 years Dr. Richard Chapman, History, 32 years* Dr. Laurie Dahley, Social Work, 17 years Heidi Goldberg, Art, 27 years Peggy Goodman, ITS, 26 years Jon Gunderson, Facilities Management, 14 years* Peter Halverson, Music, 39 years Joel V. Hanson, CLV Facilities Management, 26 years* Daryl A. Johnson, Facilities Management, 18 years* Richard W. Jorgensen, Facilities Management, 26 years* Dr. Al Kagan, Offutt School of Business, 12 years* Paul A. King, Facilities Management, 20 years David J. Klug, Athletics, 32 years* Larry A. Kvalvog, Facilities Management, 28 years* Debra J. Langseth, Facilities Management, 22 years Barbara Martin, Admissions, 18 years* Mary Olek, CSTA and English, 35 years Dr. Larry Papenfuss, Advancement, 28 years Donna M. Preston, Facilities Management, 38 years Dr. Mary Rice, World Languages and Cultures (Spanish), 34 years Philip H. Thompsen, ITS, 42 years *preferred not to be included

Congratulations to all the retirees!

15604/PDF/0422

Anita Brandenburg Anita Brandenburg worked at Concordia College in Cobber Kids for 27.5 years. Each day at Cobber Kids had many rewards and challenges over the years. Anita was fortunate to have had wonderful staff working at the center. Phenomenal teachers, student workers, our kitchen assistant, Sue, and our wonderful custodian, Darlene. She has enjoyed working with all the staff to provide the best quality care all children deserve. The tremendous support of the college was extremely valuable in our success. The wonderful supervisors Anita had that supported and mentored her all these years contributed to her years of service, especially Peggy Torrance and Linda Brown. It’s hard to believe that some of the children Anita has worked with at Cobber Kids are now in their 30s. Time flies when you’re having fun. When Anita came to Concordia in 1994, she was a validator for the National Association for the Education of Young Children. One of her goals for Cobber Kids was to become an NAEYC accredited center. We achieved that goal a few years later. Cobber Kids has since remained accredited all these years. This was not an easy task. This was accomplished by the dedication of the staff. In 2005, Anita helped plan and facilitate the move to a beautiful facility at Riverside. It’s easy to work in a facility that is not only intentionally designed for children, but also functions to inspire creativity in children and all who work at Cobber Kids. Seeing the children grow and develop makes it all worthwhile. Cobber Kids has also achieved a four-star rating with Parent Aware. The staff are exceptional when it comes to working with children and families. Their dedication to young children should be recognized and commended. Anita will miss the children the most. Their smiles and antics helped keep the entire Cobber Kids staff on their toes. The campus has a unique camaraderie that she will miss. Over the years, Anita has met staff that she considers to be long-time friends. They even had a special visitor last spring that the staff misses: Rocky the Raccoon. Rocky came to visit and shut us down for a few days. The team worked hard to stay safe and stay open for the parents during the first year of COVID. Rocky came into Cobber Kids to play and gave us an interesting story to tell. There is a lot of joy that comes with working with children in an educational setting. The many departments that had an interest in being part of the program made the center very unique. Chemistry, French, Physical Education, SAAC Program, Biology, Neuroscience, Nutrition, Nursing, and Communications have all been involved at Cobber Kids. Offices such as the Library, Dining Center, and the President’s office have also been important to our many connections to the college campus. Anita will miss so much. She has been working in the early childhood field for over 40 years. Anita plans to spend more time with her family in retirement. She is fortunate that both of her children live in the Fargo-Moorhead area. She hopes to be able to have more visits with her 99-year-old father who lives in Albuquerque. The pandemic made it difficult to see him over the last two years with the travel restrictions and the worry of staffing shortages. Since January, Anita and her husband, Scott, have gone to Florida and have also spent a month in 3

Albuquerque. Additionally, she was able to get together with her four brothers and their spouses. Anita is looking forward to more family gatherings.

• • • Anita served Cobber Kids for over 27 years. She positively impacted more than 1500 future Cobbers and their families. Many of those families were and are Concordia faculty and staff. Through her leadership, the center mentored 250 Concordia students on the path to becoming teachers or serving youth in other capacities. Anita created a center of excellence for young children. Under Anita’s leadership, Cobber Kids became a nationally accredited center under the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The NAEYC Accreditation indicates that children in the Cobber Kids program are getting the best care and early learning experiences possible. The Center also obtained a four-star rating (the highest level) under the Parent Aware program. This means the center is excelling at use of kindergarten-readiness best practices. – Peggy Torrance

We have had the pleasure to work with Anita Brandenburg for the past 11 1/2 and 13 years. Anita is the kind of person that doesn’t just ‘talk the talk’— but she ‘walks the walk’— she is an advocate for the early childhood profession and the quality care we provide at Cobber Kids. She was supportive of the teachers – giving advice/ leadership without micro-managing. She held herself to a high standard which was reflected in our outstanding Center. She supported families, children and the staff … from the physical building to helping in the classrooms to training college students – she did it all! – Preschool classroom head teachers: Gail Anderson and Shekae Hanson

Dr. Daniel Breedon Daniel Breedon has been a beloved and influential teacher and mentor to generations of Cobbers. A member of the music faculty teaching core subjects of music history and music theory, as well as composition, his kindness and sensitivity, humor and wit, and ability to arouse curiosity and provide intellectual and musical challenges to his students and colleagues have been central to the positive culture and success of the music department over the past several decades. As one former student put it, “Dr. Breedon always made us laugh in class. He was one of my favorite teachers at Concordia.” Breedon’s breadth of expertise spanning centuries and continents of musical styles and knowledge, as well as his passion for sparking curiosity and appreciation for music in his students have had a significant impact on Concordia students, faculty, and staff. As a violinist, harpsichordist, and composer, he has been a frequent instigator and collaborator with colleagues and students in making music, bringing alive music from the Renaissance and Baroque up to the present day with a depth of knowledge and authenticity that are infectious to those around him. His joy in making music is palpable, whether performing a brand-new composition he has written for a colleague or sharing a performance of a work from centuries ago. Former students have found success in graduate school and beyond, composing for large and small ensembles, films and video games, and church music. Breedon possesses a deeply philosophical mind as well as a keen sense of humor. He is attentive to the needs of those around him, noticing individual students and their needs and responding with gracious kindness and respect. He is a passionate advocate for students and has been an important mentor to many younger colleagues. He is humble about his own gifts and has served the college in many roles, including important administrative and committee leadership. – Nat Dickey

• • • Dan is about as holistic a musician as one can imagine. He plays (many things), teaches, ponders, researches, teaches more, plays more, talks to others, asks questions, finds answers, explores and discovers. Though his tenure at Concordia has been long, he has always been “new” and “young.” He thoroughly enjoys all that he does at the college, and that joy is clearly evident to both his students and his colleagues. And he is quick to bemoan the times when making music for the joy of it moves out of the center of what we do as a department. I have sensed that joy in how he shares things, consistently, with me about music and musicking. He is a wonderful colleague, always open to talk about the depths of this great art we both study, and how that art opens up life, as well. His deepness will be missed by all. – Dr. Jeff Meyer

Dr. Laurie Dahley Laurie Dahley has worked at Concordia College in the Social Work program for 17 years. Moving from practice in the field to academia required Laurie to build and create a whole new set of skills. She recalls being asked for the rubric for a particular assignment and asking the librarian what a rubric was. So much to learn! Generous colleagues offered Laurie their knowledge and talents to help her grow into her new role. From interdisciplinary work on case studies, partnering with other departments on presentations, to SOTL experiences, she has enjoyed the “team” efforts and tapping the wisdom that abounds on this campus and abroad. Working with the students offered Laurie the greatest enjoyment. Journeying with students from their first classes to their internships and watching them grow and bloom in confidence and mastery has been a privilege. She has enjoyed finding new ways to engage with the students in activities, projects, or exercises that cause the light of understanding to dawn and concepts to leap from the texts to become “real.” Rewards have come to Laurie in bushels at Concordia. Completing her Ph.D. and research working with older adults and their families to gain understanding of family interactions at end-of-life was a joy. Concordia and NDSU’s support of these efforts through scholarships surrounded Laurie with the encouragement and support she needed to undertake this effort. Then having the opportunity to present her research at statewide, national, and international conferences were experiences Laurie will not forget. While Rome may not have been the greatest city for a social worker grounded in social justice to enjoy, it offered the opportunity to share her research with so many from around the world. Laurie’s time spent working with various projects on campus provided a great opportunity to work with peers on specific projects and learn from their various perspectives and insights. From our interdisciplinary case studies, committees, SOTL groups, to our recent Wellness Day, these opportunities were exciting and rewarding times. Being appointed to the Minnesota Board of Social Work by the governor and then being elected the president of the Minnesota Social Services Association afforded Laurie the opportunity to impact policy and engage with professionals from diverse organizations from across the state. Finally, Laurie was awarded with the Distinguished Individual Service Award for her contribution to professional education this March at MSSA’s state conference. While humbled by this recognition, receiving it at this time in her life meant a great deal. Laurie will miss dressing up as 96-year-old Henrietta Hogslugger when teaching how to interview older adults, rallying in the state’s Capitol Rotunda during Social Work Day at the Capitol, our Field Instructor and Senior Spring Luncheon (and in addition, the Chocolate Lace Cheesecake). While Laurie will of course miss the students, she looks forward to hearing of their journey in the profession. For it is after graduation that the real growth and learning begins! Laurie’s work with Continuing Studies will continue as we strive to bring professional education to our region. Exciting plans and ideas are being discussed, so keep an eye out for announcements in the future. On a more personal note, Laurie is looking forward to more family time. This means that she and her husband can enjoy their home at the lake without thinking of the commute. Her two daughters and their families (Including the four greatest granddaughters in the world) will probably seek respite from her offers to babysit and visit. In the coming months, it will be Laurie’s mission to hit as many of the quilt shops in Minnesota’s Shop Hop as possible and finding interesting quality projects to keep her well occupied in the year ahead. Travel will not only include quilt shops, but those plans are still in process with no reservations made yet. Once again, stay tuned for news! 6

• • • Laurie’s positive attributes that will be missed: • Her warmth • Her humor and her laugh • Her support and mentorship of students • Her delicious baked goods! • Her skillful teaching and presence in the classroom Laurie has brought so much good to the college. She has elevated the preparation and reputation of social work, she has been a leader in continuing education for social workers in the region, and she has skillfully led the social work field program and facilitated more than 300 social work internships. She has been a supportive colleague and team member across campus, including leading important work in integrative learning with programs in the sciences and health professions. She is an energetic, creative teacher, mentor and leader who has left a lasting impact on the social work program, students, alumni and the social work profession. – Kristi Loberg

Heidi Goldberg Heidi Goldberg worked at Concordia College in the Art department for 27 years. There are many things that Heidi has enjoyed about her work in the last 27 years. The first item is the students! The most rewarding part of her job has been working with students in the studio making things. Being a part of the process of discovery and learning while making visual work together is an expansive experience for Heidi. She described how amazing it is to see students who haven’t had much studio experience blossom and gain ability and confidence in their expression. It’s an even bigger joy to work with majors who dive deep, take chances, and make work that is beautiful and compelling. The joy of working with intelligent, committed, curious students as they learn to define their content and articulate it in various media is inspiring to Heidi. She’s also been fortunate to work with a wonderful group of colleagues. Celebrations of students’ best works at the annual Juried Student Exhibition and the annual Senior Exhibition are occasions that stand out to Heidi as rewarding experiences at Concordia. The culmination of the efforts of her colleagues and the students are very special occasions. The Senior Exhibition is especially poignant as we applaud our soon-to-be graduates and send them off to new adventures. Heidi will miss spending time in the studio with students most of all. Beyond the technical demonstrations, trouble-shooting, and all the pain and joy that comes with the nature of the process in the making of art, she knows she will miss the quieter moments with students where she is able to share space and time, working creatively as individuals and in collaboration. She will also miss the regular, informal discussions, the laughter and joy of bonding with each other through discussions that naturally unfold in the space. Heidi’s studio awaits in retirement. She is looking forward to spending longer hours of creative productivity there. She will also enjoy the luxury of spending time looking, thinking, reading, and experimenting with new ideas and methods in her work. Heidi is also looking forward to living more simply, spending more time with family and friends, working in the garden, going for walks enjoying animals and nature, and preparing and enjoying delicious meals.

• • • One of Heidi’s most positive attributes is the way in which she cares for her students and her colleagues. Her thoughtfulness to me, as incoming art chair, was expressed in many ways, but I was especially touched by the small drawing of a “chair” she gave to me. This chair was about as comfortable looking as possible, which not only made me feel at home in being chair in a department that was not my own, but also testified to the kind of person Heidi is – warm, and generous, as well as the maker of incredibly beautiful art. Heidi’s embrace of many kinds of mediums and expressions will be missed greatly, as will her talents as both an artist and as a teacher and mentor. More than all, though, her presence will be missed greatly, and her generosity in giving of herself and those “small” gifts that are so incredibly meaningful. – Jeff Meyer 8

Heidi, I came to the Art department 10 years ago and you were so welcoming and always willing to help me in my new position. You would always take time out of your busy day to answer my numerous questions. The students you taught over the years were so fortunate to have had such an amazing professor. Former students will share how you taught them so much and prepared them for their next chapter. You embrace life with positivity and every day is a good day. And you especially knew if I was having a stressful day and how to make it better. Congratulations on an amazing career and enjoy retirement. – Lori Feigum

Heidi is committed to the visual arts and her commitment impacted everyone she came in contact with, colleagues and students alike. That kind of serious devotion to the visual arts will be hard to replace – her expertise and her willingness to teach areas that stretched beyond her comfort level. Her desire to keep the Art department strong and thriving is part of what makes the Art department so good. Her willingness to work with students individually often beyond the expectations of class and curriculum requirements and her unmistakable laugh will be missed. – Ross Hilgers

Peggy Goodman Peggy Goodman has worked in Information Technology Services at Concordia College for the past 26 years. Peggy has enjoyed all of the faculty, staff, and students that she’s worked with over the years. It has been like working with family. The most rewarding part of her time at Concordia was working with student workers from many different countries. Peggy was able to fill in as a surrogate parent for those students during her tenure, one of whom lived with her and her husband for 12 years after he graduated from Concordia. Peggy says that he became the son they never had. Through him, Peggy was able to meet more international students that she still has the pleasure of keeping in touch with. Peggy will miss all of the interactions with staff, faculty, and students in retirement. Additionally, she will also miss the brain stimulation that working in ITS has offered her. Peggy plans to spend her time in retirement gardening, volunteering, and spending more time on projects she hasn’t previously had time to work on. She is looking forward to traveling and rescheduling her trip to Ghana that had to be rescheduled due to the pandemic.

• • • Peggy is incredibly knowledgeable about her systems and areas of responsibility in ITS. She has excellent troubleshooting skills and the ability to learn new systems. Peggy has worked with many campus systems during her time with ITS and knows them inside and out. It will be very difficult to replace her experience and knowledge after she leaves. Peggy is able to work and interact with everyone from students to professors, software vendors and college administrative staff. Very pleasant and easy going with a super positive attitude. We will miss her laugh and stories about the adventures of Rosie. – Shannon Wanner

Peter Halverson Peter Halverson has worked at Concordia College in the Music (voice) department for the past 39 years. He has thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful students with which he’s had the privilege to teach. Peter has had fabulous colleagues that have been a joy and he loved being able to engage in great music on a daily basis. There have been many rewarding moments and events that have taken place during Peter’s time at Concordia. The music-making and collaboration with students on their recitals, competitions, and auditions and seeing their success has always been most gratifying. Of particular note was seeing Peter’s former student, Christopher Kenney, make his Metropolitan Opera debut this past October. Being a part of the Concordia Christmas concerts as a narrator for the past 37 years has also been very special and an event that has been dear to him since his days as a student here. Peter has also found it very rewarding to be able to pursue performing away from Concordia. This has included many performances with the Fargo-Moorhead Opera and Fargo-Moorhead Symphony, frequent performances with the Minnesota Opera, Minnesota Orchestra, Saint Paul Orchestra, Skylark Opera, and VocalEssence in the Twin Cities. In addition, Peter was able to perform with numerous other opera companies and orchestras in the United States including winging it at the Kennedy Center with the National Symphony and performing at Carnegie Hall in “The Grapes of Wrath.” He also performed abroad in a recital tour in Finland after winning the Yrö Kilpinen International Art Song Competition and soloed with the Oslo Domkor and Oslo Baroque Chamber Orchestra in a performance of Haydn’s “Die Jahreszeiten.” Peter has been so fortunate to have had such talented colleagues to collaborate with in the Music department that has always made his time at Concordia very rewarding. Peter will miss the students, his colleagues, and the music-making at Concordia most of all during his retirement. Peter and his wife plan to move to the Twin Cities where they both will be closer to family. He hopes to spend a lot of time with his grandchildren, travel, and hopes to continue being involved in music.

• • • Peter Halverson has been a beloved and influential voice professor at Concordia for many years, influencing generations of singers, both music majors and students learning to sing alongside their studies in myriad other fields. His humble spirit, devotion to the Music department and the college, and student-centered approach will be greatly missed by students, colleagues, and the Concordia community. Prof. Halverson’s consummate musicianship, unique vocal quality, and compelling acting ability have made him a much-admired member of the music faculty throughout his career. His performances in recitals, oratorios, concerts, and operas have been appreciated by countless audience members over the years. As one colleague put it, “Not only does Peter possess a voice of exceptional beauty, but he always sings with the highest artistry. As a teacher, he is entirely dedicated to his students, both in the energy he brings to every lesson and also by generously sharing extra lesson time when needed.” Peter Halverson’s presence at Concordia has been synonymous with great voice teaching. His students have won many awards over the years, and his presence has greatly enhanced the reputation of the music department and the college. The success of his voice students beyond Concordia is remarkable, including several now singing professionally at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Chicago Lyric Opera, and many other companies. A colleague noted, “Peter has trained many generations of singers who have exceled in the vocal arts while as students here and wherever they go after graduating. He is an important reason that our choral program has been so successful for so long!” 11

As a narrator (known to many as the “Voice of God”) for many years of the Concordia Christmas Concerts – including being a part of productions garnering two regional Emmy Awards – his beautiful, resonant baritone has been iconic for generations of students and community patrons in Moorhead and the Twin Cities, as well as across the nation through public television broadcasts. Peter Halverson’s professionalism, beautiful and colorful voice, and reputation as a vocal teacher are among his most noteworthy qualities as a member of the Concordia faculty. He is also a servant-leader and humble in spirit. Colleagues appreciate that he always displays kindness and a positive attitude and is a supportive colleague and friend. One colleague mentioned, “Peter is a one-of-kind musician and human being. He makes you feel welcome and would do anything for you.” Prof. Halverson is determined to draw the most he can from his students, constantly raising the students’ bar of expectations for themselves. He has always been very inspiring with his beautiful voice and kind heart. – Nat Dickey

Paul King Paul King worked at Concordia College in Facilities Management for 20.5 years. Paul enjoyed working with some of the best tradesman in the business. He says that the most rewarding moments of his time at Concordia was watching the progression of some of the student workers over the years and how well they have done in their careers since graduation. He likes to think part of that was working with the trades people and learning skills that they can take with them out of the classroom. Paul misses all the conversations he’s had with his co-workers the most in retirement. He is looking forward to spending time enjoying the lakes and camping with his family.

• • • I am here today to recognize Paul King for his many years of service to Concordia College. He retired from Concordia last July after more than 20 years as our campus’s master plumber. I only had the pleasure of working with him for a couple of years but can tell you that I have not worked with a plumber who was more conscientious, had such meticulous craftsmanship and was more dedicated to the quality of the systems he maintained on the campus than he was. Outside of work he is a dedicated family man who loves dogs and to be outdoors and of course be on the lake and fish whenever he can. As you can imagine, over the years his job could have filled more than one episode of the popular TV show “Dirty Jobs” with Mike Rowe, but I think it’s best that I won’t elaborate any more in this area. Paul enhanced the plumbing shop in many ways over those years but by far the biggest way he did that was by bringing in a proactive approach and standardization. He worked to develop preventative maintenance schedules on equipment that are documented in our work-order system and generate work-order reminders on set frequencies so things don’t get forgotten. He also worked tirelessly with the team during the 2009 flood. Paul was instrumental in getting all of our water and sewer isolation valves documented and a system in place that if that type of event would happen again, we are much better prepared to handle it. One of the things I noticed when I arrived on campus three years ago was the length service our trades crews had here at Concordia and the family-type atmosphere that existed in Facilities. Paul is a member of that family. He found time to lighten the mood with his co-workers and was a bit of a prankster. If someone happened to be startled by opening their tool cabinet and there was a CPR baby or a rubber snake or motorized rat in with their tools that morning, they knew who the culprit likely was.

There is a lot of coordination that has to happen between the trades to get work done. One example of working with other trades is that plumbers often need to get behind walls to get to the pipes, so working with our carpenters is a must. He and Perry made me nervous when I first got here because I found out how polar opposite their political views were. I quickly learned my anxiety in that area was not needed. Other than some good-natured ribbing, their mutual respect and friendship was bigger than their differences and jobs went off without a hitch, even working together on our annual FM picnic and helping each other on their personal construction projects outside of work. I always ask for continuous improvement in our department. Paul was a fellow believer in that philosophy and was always looking for ways to improve things. His belief in this enabled him to truly leave the campus plumbing systems in better shape now than when he started here over 20 years ago. Thank you for all you did for us Paul! – Dallas Fossum, director of Facilities Management

Deb Langseth Deb Langseth was very supportive to her co-workers. The group was always appreciative with how she would plan her time off around others and also around specific, busy time frames where cleaning had to be done. Deb was genuinely a nice person and always maintained positive day-to-day interactions with the students that lived on her assigned floors, creating a welcome environment. For 22+ years Deb brought a welcome consistency to Concordia. She spent the first few years in Dining Services before making the move over to Building Services for the majority of her time here. She was always up to any challenge presented to her. Deb’s experience and dedication to the college will be missed! – Rob Smith, assistant director of Facilities

Mary Olek Mary Olek has worked at Concordia College in several different positions for 35 years. She spent 13 years in the Career Center, 20 years in CSTA, and two years splitting her time between the English department and CSTA. The many friendships that Mary has had with students, faculty, and staff have been rewarding during her time at Concordia. Working with her student assistants and the amazing faculty in the CSTA and English departments have been a joy for Mary. Mary is looking forward to spending more time with her grandchildren, traveling, and volunteering at animal shelters in the area.

• • • Mary and I came to the CSTA Department in the same year (2000). It will feel strange not to see her in the department every day. I appreciate all the ways she made the department a more enjoyable place to be, and I will miss her. • I envy her gregarious nature. Mary is skilled at drawing people into conversations, making them feel welcome and heard. I am impressed by her ability to know how a person is feeling and how to respond to the many moods of those who pass through her office door. • She is persistent — if you are facing challenges when trying to complete a task, Mary will always volunteer to help and will continue to pursue the problem until the job is done. • Mary always took care of the little things in the office that need to be done. Need office supplies? They are there in the drawers because she already ordered them. Need a room reservation? She’s on it. Put up posters? Yep. Organize a meeting or a party. Okay! Send out a message to students or faculty? You name it, Mary will do it. • There are so many other wonderful gifts that Mary shared with members of the CSTA department, but this last one is personal. Mary’s compassion for and love of animals is well known (and I could go on for pages about our pet conversations), but Mary is also responsible for uniting me with the best cat in the world. I’ll always be grateful for that. – Aileen

Mary took such good care of every member of the department, whether it was their first year or their 31st year. We will miss her positive energy and her attention to detail. Her genuine curiosity about the people at Concordia revealed a level of care and concern that always made me feel reassured. I am so grateful to Mary for her willingness to help me in any situation and circumstance. From everyday tasks to complex challenges, Mary handled the work with good cheer. I will miss her very much. – Greg 16

I have really appreciated seeing Mary’s interactions with the departmental student assistants. Mary has interacted with those students in a way that I thought was kind, supportive, and probably contributed to those students’ feelings of being competent adults. – Fred

I haven’t been at Concordia for long, but Mary has made me feel incredibly welcome during that short time. I appreciate her institutional knowledge, willingness to share, and warm greetings every time I step foot on the third floor of Olin. – Darren

For the dozen years I’ve been at Concordia, Mary has been a reliably kind, helpful, dedicated part of the Communication Studies department. She keeps the office humming smoothly, always offers to help in whatever way she can, and makes our jobs easier every day in many ways. In addition, she has been a welcoming face to all who discover that Olin has a third floor. We will all miss her — and wish her well as she begins a much-deserved retirement! – Kirsten

Mary is always so bright and sunny when I see her in the office. Even if it’s at 7:30 in the morning! Her presence will be missed around the CSTA offices. – Indira

Thank you for always being such a cheery presence in the office! The thousands (and thousands and thousands) of little things you’ve done over the years all add up. Thanks for making everything run smoother! – David

Mary – We’ve already had a taste of what life without you here on the third floor of Olin will be like when the English department “stole” you from us for 50% of your time! It has not been fun at all. Having you in the office as a welcoming face for our department has been a gift. Our students always knew that they could come to you if they needed something and so could the rest of us. Whether it was figuring out the copy machine, or just a compassionate person to listen to us – you have always been there for all of us. We will miss you so much! – Najla

Congratulations and Best Wishes, Mary as you retire from Concordia College. I knew I could always count on a greeting and a friendly smile from you each and every morning. I will miss that. Your positive attitude was also such a welcomed treat. Thank you for all you have done for us and also for your friendship. Now it is time to cherish every moment of your retirement and revel in this new stage of your life. I am sure your grandchildren will enjoy having more time with you too! Wishing you all the best. – Cindy (CLC)

1. It has been great while Mary has been with us to always walk onto the floor and be greeted with “Hi, how are you today?” or “How was your weekend?” Mary’s sense of hospitality is unmatched. 2. I love her love of decorating. There was never a holiday that was not celebrated on third floor Olin. 3. Mary loved celebrations. Potlucks, graduation picnics, treat days, it didn’t matter. Celebrating was always good! 4. If there was ever anything Mary could do she wanted to know what it was and she would try to do it! – Cindy Carver

Mary, congratulations on your retirement. I remember coming to Concordia 10 years ago and you were so helpful in showing me the ins and outs of Olin. Whenever I had a question you would always know how to help me or you would find an answer very quickly. You were one of the first committee members for the CASS committee. You and your group did so much work to provide training on several topics for many staff members around campus. I am going to miss having you pick me up at my office for every coffee, meeting, and lunch date. Now you can spend endless time at the lake in the spring, summer and fall! Concordia students, staff and faculty are going to miss you! – Lori Feigum

I will miss her wit, smile, and laughter. Mary brought her positive attitude, and her willingness to always help. Her contributions to CASS! Every faculty member who I know who has worked with her said she was fun to work with. Mary is a fun-loving kind person, who is genuine, she will be greatly missed! – Heather Boecker

Mary was a delight to work with! I worked in the Art office on 2nd floor in Olin and she was up on 3rd floor … we would stop into each other’s offices almost daily to chit-chat a bit. It was always fun to catch up with her after our weekend events. Mary has a great smile, wonderful disposition, and would go out of her way to help you with anything! I look forward to seeing you at our monthly group gatherings yet, Mary. Congratulations on your retirement … enjoy your next chapter in your life with your family and friends! Blessings to you always. – Deb Hersrud

I have known Mary for over 35 years. We met at church shortly after Mark and I moved to Moorhead. During all of that time Mary has been a great friend. She is rock solid, always ready to help others and never in a bad mood. She always brought a smile to my face when she could get away from her desk and visit the campus post office. I’m sure she has been the one to hold her departments together, making sure everyone has what they need to do their jobs. Students have someone to listen to their struggles and encourage them on. Mark and I know she will enjoy retirement. What’s not to like? Every day is Saturday! Congratulations Mary! – Paulette Dixon

Mary is one of the sweetest people, and she is always smiling! She was so friendly when I started at Concordia, and always made me feel welcome. She does her job so well, and I always enjoyed working with her. I also love her sense of humor, and her love of animals shows her huge, kind heart :) Congratulations, Mary! – Julie Skogen

While Mary has only been here (in the English department) two years, … I can say for my own sake that having Mary come over here was a godsend, because I was just starting as department chair myself, so having someone with experience move in after the previous office person quit really helped me climb into that chair role. – Jim Postema

Mary came along at the exact right time for the English department. We really needed her steady, professional presence, friendliness, and reliability during the height of COVID. I know we’re all grateful since then to actually be back in the office so we can visit now and then! Thank you, Mary, for all that you’ve brought to our department. – Amy Watkin

I appreciate how involved Mary has been in the life of the department! She attends so many events to support students and faculty, like the senior literature seminar presentations and writers’ readings. She has been a lively, engaging presence at receptions, potlucks, and other gatherings, and we will miss her. – Karla

Larry Papenfuss Larry Papenfuss has worked at Concordia College for 28 years. Larry’s career at Concordia has consisted of three different vocational roles – professor, athletic director and department chair, followed by gift officer and Dovre Center director. In each, it has been a delight for him to serve the mission of the college and work with such great students, alumni, and colleagues. Concordia has afforded Larry and the members of his family a place to grow intellectually and spiritually. What a blessing to be part of a community where they could participate in so many inspiring symposiums, book reads, presentations, and more. When he thinks about all the authors, theologians, and influential people that we have been able to bring to campus from Bill Gates to Barbara Brown Taylor and so many more, Larry feels truly blessed. Then, there are the deeply spiritual Christmas concerts as well as moving worship services that ground us in mission. Finally, being surrounded by colleagues who care so deeply for the students and who genuinely care about one another has made this a great place to live out his vocation. Soli Deo Gloria! There have been many rewards to working at Concordia. Recruiting really good people to come and seek their own vocations at Concordia has been one of the biggest rewards for Larry. Additionally, watching former students become successful has been extremely fulfilling. Having two children graduate from Concordia and seeing how this place and the people here helped them to find their voice, discover their passions, and become courageous citizens, has been perhaps the greatest personal highlight. A couple fun rewards as the athletic director were acquiring the first professionally made Kernel costume, the birth of “Fear the Ear,” and completing the Update the Jake project. Finally, helping introduce faculty and staff to the mission and identity of the college through the Dovre Center has been a really nice culmination to Larry’s time at Concordia. Larry will miss the relationships he’s built with his colleagues the most. He will still be around campus by attending chapel and other events on campus. He’s looking forward to spending more time playing golf. Servant leader influencing the affairs of the mission and people of Concordia for 28 years: Assistant and Associate Professor of Health Education 1994-2003 Director of Athletics and Health and Physical Education Department Chair 2003-2011 Management Team and Gift Planner in Advancement 2012- 2021 Director of the Dovre Center for Faith and Learning 2016-2022

• • • – Congratulations Larry! You have had an amazing career as a teacher, coach, mentor, fundraiser, and leader. Over the years, you have had such a positive impact on the lives of the people around you, including your Advancement team members. You’ve been a great colleague and you will be missed. – I so appreciate your wisdom, ability to identify and get to the heart of challenges in kind and honest ways, deep love for and knowledge of Concordia, and care for the church and God’s people. You lead your life with integrity and a passion for serving others. It will be so fun to see what unfolds for you in this next chapter of life. – You have modeled for all of us what it looks like to cultivate vocation. In doing so, your leadership throughout the Concordia community has woven a wonderful web of connectedness among people and programs. What a gift it has been to collaborate, laugh, weep, reflect, question and imagine with you all of these years. As you begin a new chapter, adventure and space, may it be full of all of those things, focused on all the things you are most passionate about! Wishing you joy and peace in all that lies ahead. Blessings for your journey! 19

Donna Preston Donna Preston has worked at Concordia College in Facilities Management for the past 38 years. Donna has enjoyed all the students she was able to meet by cleaning the buildings she worked in. She is also grateful for the relationships she built with students in work study. She has made many friends and stays in touch with them to this day. In addition, she has enjoyed working with her peers and building strong relationships. The most rewarding part of Donna’s time at Concordia was her ability to help students in need. Donna was able to direct students to the correct contact to get them the help they needed. Another rewarding moment for Donna occurred when she was able to utilize the employee tuition discount to give her daughter the opportunity to attend Concordia College. It opened many doors for her daughter and led to rewarding employment after college. Donna will miss both the students and employees at the college during her retirement. Donna is looking forward to being a grandma and spending more time with her grandson. She also plans to spend time with her husband, prioritize crafting, and continue her ministry work through her church, Presbytery, and Synod.

• • • Donna Preston brought a variety of positive attributes with her to work every day. She exemplified a strong work ethic, demonstrating this in her dedication to the college. She was known for her kindness, good heart and Christian faith, which has shown through in her ability to care about others. Donna brought a high level of consistency and dependability to the Building Services group for 38 years. She took pride in the job she did – the environment provided for the students mattered, and the care of the campus buildings mattered. Donna managed and mentored her direct reports, using her faith as a guide. Donna did an outstanding job and will be greatly missed! – Rob Smith, assistant director of Facilities

Dr. Mary Rice Mary Rice has worked at Concordia College in the World Languages and Cultures (Spanish) department for 34 years. Mary loves teaching and working with students at all levels but has especially enjoyed teaching literature classes. Of course, she loves talking about good books with students, but it is exciting to see how far their proficiency has come in such a short time. Mary has also enjoyed traveling with students and seeing them thrive in new cultures. She had the good fortune during her time at Concordia to travel with students to Spain, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua and England. One of Mary’s most rewarding experiences at Concordia was working with two students on a Centennial Scholars Grant project. Not only did they present their research at Concordia, they also were able to present at a national conference in Puerto Rico. The research Mary did on Josefina Aldecoa informed her teaching in her Hispanic Women Writers class for several years. Mary described how much she will miss the students and her colleagues. Additionally, she will miss the conversations with people who share her love of language and culture. Mary is planning to travel a lot while she is still in good health. The first trip will be to Sicily in May! Mary looks forward to spending her time reading, working with animals either volunteering at a shelter or pet sitting, and playing piano. She has always wished she had more time to research her family history, so that is also part of the plan. Mary and her husband will be working on their house to get ready to sell it eventually and move somewhere warmer.

• • • Mary is one of the best professors I ever had while a student at Concordia. I had the privilege of having Mary as my professor twice. One of my favorite classes, Hispanic Women Writers, was with her. She always encouraged me to go further with my studies. Even after graduating from Concordia, she’s still interested in hearing how I’m doing and what I’m up to. She’s always willing to chat on the phone about career opportunities and give any advice and support where she can. She makes me so grateful I chose to attend Concordia College. Her advice and mentorship have been invaluable. I’m sad that future Concordia students will not have the pleasure of studying with Mary, but I’m glad to hear she’s embarking on this next adventure in life. Gracias por todo, Mary! – Leah Olson, Class of 2019

Dear Mary, I wish you the very best in this new phase in your life. We will miss you but knowing that you will be enjoying life we’ll make us feel better. Please, come visit whenever you get the time (I will probably have a question to ask). A big hug, Fanny – Fanny Roncal Ramirez

Mary, you always made me feel comfortable and I always knew your door was open for anything. You helped me in many ways throughout my four years at Concordia and they definitely wouldn’t have been as easy without you. I’m glad I got to be your advisee, student, and employee. You always had a story for me whenever I came into your office. I will not forget you! And you helped me on my journey to grad school! Thanks for everything! –Jake Bordelon ’19

I took three or four of Mary’s classes while at Concordia (2005-09) and I loved every single one of them. Her theatre classes were great, really helping me to see the deeper themes in each work and showing me that theater can be fun to read. I actually got my master’s in Spanish and focused on theatre because of Mary’s awesome classes; she was definitely one of my favorite professors! I wish her all the best in her retirement adventures! –Jayme Lisell ’09

Mary, I have so many good memories of our conversations and times when we worked together on the Chinese program and CLV. You have done so much to support and promote languages and the humanities, for the good of students, the college, and colleagues such as me. Thank you! Best wishes for a wonderful next stage of the journey. – Ken Foster

Philip Thompsen Philip Thompsen worked at Concordia College in the ITS department for 41 years. Philip is grateful for the many mentors and colleagues he had throughout his 41-year career here at Concordia. When Philip was a freshman, Arnie Garness showed him the “computer,” that used punch cards to create reports for several college departments on campus. That’s when it all started for Philip. He was hooked! Steve Frank hired him full time starting his last semester before graduation. He was a full-time student with a full-time job. Wow! There were many years of technology “upgrades.” Philip is also thankful for Alex Sze, who helped him through many countless programming bottlenecks. Lastly, Philip wants to thank all the staff in the administrative offices throughout the college: Alice, Angie, Jess, Connie, Paulette, Dave, Tim, Ron, JoAnn, Dale, Luke, Erik, Shannon and many more. Thank you for all the wonderful memories. Philip is looking forward to spending more time with his wife, Mary, during retirement. Additionally, he’s looking forward to making a few trips to Duluth, continuing the MN State Parks Passport Club, getting back to his diamond painting hobby, organizing his workshop, going on walks, going to afternoon film festivals, taking trips to see his family, and spoiling his granddaughter.

• • • Phil has been involved in virtually every aspect of technology during his time at Concordia. From pulling some of the first network cables between buildings to helping with the conversion of the Student Information System to Banner. His many years at Concordia have given him a wealth and depth of knowledge that will be hard to replace. Phil has a very pleasant attitude and helpful nature. Very thorough, diligent, and careful when working with data and making changes. He is professional, helpful, looks at the “big picture” to see how small changes could impact the whole system. Dedicated to Concordia – the mission – and its students. – Shannon Wanner