2023 Concordia College Retiree Appreciation

2023 RETIREE APPRECIATION

Eighteen members of the faculty and staff retired during the 2022-23 academic year or will be retiring this summer. They have a combined total of 455 years of service to the college and their contributions are appreciated!

Honored retirees include:

Dr. Daniel Anderson, Healthcare Leadership, 30 years

Mary Anderson, Library, 18 years

Joanne Barfknecht, CLV Human Resources, 15 years

Theresa Borchert, Library, 34 years

Perry Bushaw, Facilities Management, 20 years

Dr. Cindy Carver, Communication Studies, 37 years

Dr. Jonathan Clark, World Languages and Cultures, 29 years

Virginia Connell, Library, 14 years

Anne Craft, Center for Student Success, 10 years

Dr. William Craft, President, 12 years

Dr. Nicholas Ellig, Sociology, 41 years

Dr. David Eyler, Music, 36 years

Sara Gjesdahl, Public Safety, 16 years

David Hamilton, Music, 29 years

Dr. Joy Lintelman, History, 34 years

Shanda Schmidt, Academic Affairs, 23 years

Dr. Fred Sternhagen, Communication Studies, 41 years

Janet Zaeske, Dining Services, 16 years

Congratulations to all the retirees!

Daniel Anderson

Daniel Anderson has worked in the Sanford Heimarck School of Health Professions for 30 years.

Daniel has enjoyed all the ways he was able to interact with students while in the classroom, visits in his office, SHMA field trips, Christmas parties, and internship supervision visits. He has also enjoyed meeting with former students after graduation at professional meetings and internship visits.

Daniel is most proud of leading the Long-Term Care Administration program to NAB Academic Accreditation, first as a Nursing Home Administration Program, and more recently as a Health Services Executive Program. He also remembers fondly the eight years his two children were students on campus and how proud he was when they became Cobbers.

Daniel will miss the internship site visits every summer. It was a joy for him to see the excitement of students working in the field, to observe first-hand what’s occurring in health and senior services, and to make and renew friendships with preceptors, many of whom are alumni and former students.

Daniel and his wife, Kim, are enjoying living at the lake and all the activities it provides year-round. They plan to travel, mostly around the U.S., including going south in the winter. Daniel and his wife are active with their kids and grandkids, who all live in the Twin Cities, and often spend time with them at the lake in the summer. They are committed to keeping themselves happy and healthy.

“Thank you for your decades of service to our students, alumni, and health partners across the region. You have made an impact on hundreds of lives over your faculty career and that impact continues well into your retirement as our most recent students plan to graduate and make a difference in the lives of others. We are thankful for your dedication to the profession and for your continued support as we graduate. We are thankful for your stories, your humor, and your guidance as we navigated the curriculum and internships. We are thankful for your ongoing support post-graduation. Your dedication, guidance, kindness, and support will be missed. Enjoy retirement – The fish are waiting!”

– Healthcare Leadership students, staff, and alumni

Mary Anderson

Mary Anderson has worked in the Library for more than 18 years.

Mary has enjoyed working with student employees and watching them grow and change. She has also enjoyed doing story time for the children at Cobber Kids. Working with students has been the most rewarding experience for Mary during her time at Concordia.

Mary will miss her colleagues in the library and those who visit the library often. She is excited to spend her time reading during retirement.

“We have been blessed to work with Mary since she joined the Carl B family in 2004. Mary cares about people. She goes out of her way to build relationships with students and specifically Carl B’s student employees. She takes great care in training them and getting to know them as people. It is not an accident that graduates seek her out, even years later, to say hello and to let her know how they are doing. For them, she has been an integral part of their Concordia experience. Her belief in service and her responsiveness to every question asked of her are informed by her wish to be helpful and to learn. Mary has modeled life-long learning in her depth of understanding of the collections we all work with. She brings to her work a mix of curiosity, creativity, and passion that inspires students and reminds us of why we work in libraries. We smile broadly when the Cobber Kids arrive in the library to read stories with Mary and to look at the picture books. Through literature, Mary shows them worlds through others’ eyes – to create empathy, and to see community as it should exist. We smile again when the Cobber Kids send Mary their imaginative and delightful thank you notes and pictures. Perhaps Mary said it best … ‘libraries have always been my sanctuary, even before I could read. And people who work in libraries have become my tribe, my people, my soulmates. My experience in libraries has shown me that people who work there value collaboration above ego, multiple points of view over dogma, and kindness above all else.’ We look forward to Mary’s visits back to the Carl B – to share a good cup of coffee and to continue our ongoing conversations about books.”

– Laurie Probst

Joanne Barfknecht

Joanne Barfknecht worked at Concordia Language Villages for 15 years.

Joanne describes that working at Concordia Language Villages is like working in the woods every day. Her coworkers were committed to their work and to making the language experience a memorable one.

Joanne started her CLV career in Risk Management and Health Services. The combination of these two jobs was a great fit for her. It was a good transition from her brick-and-mortar office to working in a basement and watching the villages come alive in the summer. A lot has happened in 15 years, with new sites and added buildings, but much has stayed the same with the outdoor spaces, yummy food, and shop the world.

Joanne misses her coworkers since she has retired but enjoys spending time with her grandkids and family.

“Joanne, Wishing you a happy retirement. Thank you for being a great colleague and one of the hardest workers I’ve met. I hope that you enjoy this new chapter – and that you are able to fill it with lots of new adventures.”

– Amber Delamater

Theresa Borchert

Theresa Borchert has worked in the Library for 34 years.

Theresa has enjoyed finding, creating, and fixing ways for students, faculty and staff to connect to the library information they need. The work Theresa does has been instrumental to solving problems and creating fixes, and she appreciates all who made a report of even small issues, as those reports help her do her work.

Theresa had many rewarding moments over her career at Concordia, but sites two main moments. The first was her involvement as co-leader in imagining and envisioning a future library without walls, and in a time where online resources were barely available she remembers a sketch on a pull off poster paper showing faculty members across campus with lines drawn from their office “computers” to a circle (the library) reading library “books.”

Her creation of the source evaluation tool PASS, (purpose, authority, scope, and sample entries) was a tool to help students evaluate the resources they use. She also applied it to personal reflection and shared the project in a Faith and Learning workshop.

Theresa will miss the people, questions, connections and caring of people at Concordia both in the library and across campus. She will miss the delight in people’s responses when she was able to find or fix something.

Theresa’s plans for retirement include spending more time learning and being with God, listening to the holy spirit and following his direction, spending more time with her husband, planting more experimental fruit trees and bushes, and lots of time keeping up in her garden. See plans to see if she can still write poetry, clean out clutter, feed her chickens, cats, and watch the wildlife on her property. She will sit outside dreaming and is looking forward to maybe getting some company.

“Theresa joined the Carl B in 1981 as a part-time reference librarian. She possesses a wealth of knowledge about Concordia and the Library. In 1999 Theresa became our first – and only – electronic resources librarian. In the years she has done this work, we have seen our access of digital resources multiply a hundred-fold through systems that have evolved from clunky dial-up access to global, ubiquitous systems that have transformed research and academic publishing. She understands how all of the pieces that make up the library’s complex systems work together and how decisions made years ago affect the library today. In her long years at Concordia, Theresa has had a profound impact on the library – its systems, its collections, its staff, and Concordia’s students. Theresa lives the mission of the college through her dedication to Christian life and by asking thoughtful questions in order to make informed decisions. From first-year students working on their first research papers to chemistry majors working on their senior seminar projects, Theresa has been a patient guide to the complexities of being an effective researcher. She has also been a tireless advocate for creating accessible experiences for students, faculty, and staff and has graciously shared her deep knowledge of accessibility with colleagues across campus and beyond. She has shared with us so many things, the bounty of her farm in Ada – fresh eggs and apples – and her delight in the world – in stunning sun dogs, newborn lambs, and stories about her chicken flocks. In announcing her retirement, Theresa recounted many challenges and changes during her time at Concordia: ‘good times and troubles, floods, blizzards and lockdowns, broken links and statistics, print to online, curriculum changes and migrations, SubjectsPlus to LibGuides, PALS to Aleph/SFX to WMS/WorldCat Discovery, from committees to Teams, to name just a few. Who knew we would do so many things?’ Theresa – we’re so fortunate that we experienced all of these with you!”

– Laurie Probst

Perry Bushaw

Perry Bushaw has worked in Facilities Management for 20 years.

Working at Concordia has allowed Perry the opportunity to accomplish things as a carpenter that he could not have accomplished on his own. He has enjoyed being on the team with the other trades and working with the design and management staff. Working with work study students has always made Perry’s summer days full of interesting events. The sense of accomplishment is wonderful – to stand back and admire a completed job that is of service to others or saves the college money.

Perry has had a wide variety of responsibilities during his time at Concordia. Some of Perry’s favorite projects include servicing the top of the bell tower; repairing beds, desks, and windows; and capturing unwanted wildlife that makes its way into buildings. He has also enjoyed renovating offices, classrooms, and residence halls, not to mention working with the painters and locksmiths.

Perry will miss the daily change of pace and the next unforeseen challenge when he retires. Additionally, he will miss the comradery of his staff and fellow Facilities Management team members.

Perry and his wife are planning on building a new home on Turtle Lake near Lake Park, Minn. He looks forward to spending time with his three grandchildren there and doing all of the fun, summer things in the lakes country of Minnesota.

“In the four years that I have been here, it has been a pleasure to work with Perry. His dedication to this campus has been second to none. He has a relentless drive and passion for his trade and how they can use their craftsmanship to not only maintain but improve our campus buildings and infrastructure. I always know and have faith in him that the work assigned to his crew will be done in a timely and professional manner. Perry will be missed in Facilities but I am also very happy for him and wish him all the best in his retirement!”

– Dallas Fossum

Cynthia Carver

Cynthia Carver has worked in Academic Affairs, Communication Studies, and Theatre Art for the past 37 years. Every day has been an opportunity for Cindy to continue to learn from students and colleagues at Concordia and around the world. She has enjoyed seeing the college grow, evolve, and improve and is proud of her part in that during her time at Concordia. While Cindy’s initial intent was not to pursue a career in higher education, she is forever grateful that this is the career she found.

Cindy’s years of teaching energized her and rarely sent her home for the day without a feeling of satisfaction. In her early years at the college, she also found great reward in the work she did with the Concordia Forensics Team and the college forensics community. Along with Cindy’s dear colleague, Cindy Larson-Casselton, she has coached amazing students who regularly placed in the top teams in the nation, including a top-four finish. It was also rewarding to move into district and national forensics leadership, serving as the first woman to chair the American Forensics Association National Individual Events Tournament Committee. Cindy has also enjoyed the last 16 years at the college serving first as the division chair for Professional Programs and then as the inaugural dean of the Sanford Heimarck School of Health Professions. Her administrative roles also offered rewarding opportunities to work with expanding graduate education, exploring new ventures for the college, and developing online teaching and learning opportunities. Without a doubt, Cindy will miss the daily interactions with students and colleagues and the relationships she has cultivated with them over the years. She will miss the rhythm of the school year, the various events she looks forward to annually, and of course the Maize fries!

Cindy and her husband, Del, are looking forward to spending more time at their lake home and farm near Park Rapids and finding more time for activities they enjoy, such as cooking, gardening, spending time with their dog, reading, and discovering new opportunities. She is looking forward to finding ways to stay connected to Concordia during retirement.

“Most people at Concordia today know Cindy Carver as an administrator, either as dean or division chair, but for many who reside on the 3rd floor of Olin Building, Cindy has also been known as department chair, colleague, mentor, and friend. Some even knew her as classmate, team member, and coach. In all those roles and more, Cindy has been fiercely loyal to her home department and to Concordia. The institutional knowledge she carries is great, her willingness to share her knowledge and other gifts even greater. She has left her imprint on every part of the college, but maybe most of all on the CSTA department. It is with profound gratefulness that we wish you joy in your retirement, Cindy. After dedicating most of your life to Concordia, it’s now time for you to dedicate yourself full time to gardening, wine tasting, cooking with Del, playing with your puppies, travel … and everything else your heart desires.”

– Aileen Buslig

Jonathan Clark

Jonathan Clark joined Concordia in 1994 as an associate professor of German. He has spent most of his career educating and promoting the German Language, and other languages in the World Language and Cultures department.

Jonathan served as department chair of German from 2009 to 2013.

Recently in 2021, Jonathan published his book, “Crossing Boundaries. The Story of the Witch, Barbara Kurzhals (15891629).”

“The department of World Languages and Cultures is proud to thank Dr. Jonathan Clark for his many years of service to the German program. It has been our honor to work with him throughout his time here. He leaves behind quite a legacy. His enthusiasm for teaching and sharing German language and culture has deeply impacted both students and the faculty members that have worked alongside him. Throughout his time at Concordia, Jon has been an incredible mentor. He was recognized in 2015-16 with the Distinguished Service Award from the Student Government Association. He was generous with his time, inspiring faculty and staff with a vision for what Concordia is and could be and helping students explore and be involved in their world through the lens of languages and cultures. While we are sad to say goodbye, we wish him all the best as he moves on to his next adventure. Viel Glück und viel Segen!”

– Gay Rawson

Virginia (Ginny) Connell

Virginia (Ginny) Connell has worked in the Library for 14 years.

Ginny has enjoyed working with college students the most during her time at Concordia. Supporting their growth, encountering new ways of thinking about the world, and realizing their potential as young adults has been special for Ginny.

One of the most rewarding things about working at Concordia for Ginny is the annual opportunity to learn new things. Whether it is while interacting with faculty who are passionate about their teaching, serving on a new committee, or discussing change with her library colleagues, the Concordia community has encouraged Ginny’s curiosity, provided genuine and supportive feedback, and fostered her life-long learning goals.

Ginny will miss the energy that students bring to campus every fall the most during retirement.

Ginny is looking forward to spending more time with her grandchildren, traveling to new places, and reading all the books stacked on her bedside table. She also hopes to become more involved in community food bank efforts and to support human and voter rights. Also, knitting … much more knitting!

“Ginny Connell joined Concordia in 1987 as an adjunct professor, teaching in English, Humanities, and Principia for 20 years. She joined the library faculty in 2009. In her time at Concordia, Ginny has been a tireless advocate for students. Whether in the classroom, working with individual students, creating research guides and tools, or advising first-year students, Ginny meets the students where they are at, and then works with them to build skills, knowledge, and confidence in their own learning. She uses her own interest in learning new things to connect with students along their learning paths. She is always patient, approachable and willing to help out in any way. Ginny is especially committed to supporting students who may be misunderstood or marginalized. Among her many contributions, we recognize her efforts in the library to promote universal design, to make library and campus resources accessible, and to think of diverse student needs from the beginning of a project, not as an afterthought. We also acknowledge her many generous contributions to the life of the college and to the faculty and staff. Her record of service has been long and productive. She is recognized across campus for the insight and research that she has brought to her work on committees and task forces. Ginny is also a kind and thoughtful coworker. She is one of the first to volunteer to pick up a shift, make a hotdish, or offer help to her coworkers in any way she can. Her ability to see what people need and her willingness to give of herself to make sure we are taken care of in both our professional and personal lives has no doubt helped create the sense of community we enjoy at the Carl B. Even as Ginny moves into her retirement, we will do well to follow her example. Ginny, we will miss you!!”

– Laura Probst

Anne Craft

Anne has been a beloved member of the Concordia community since 2011 and began working in the Center for Student Success in 2013.

Anne has enjoyed her wonderful colleagues at CSS and SDCL, being an academic advisor, and the wonderful chance to know students and collaborate with other folks on campus.

The relationships and events throughout the years have been the most rewarding to Anne. It has been especially meaningful for her to serve as presidential spouse.

There are too many things to list that Anne will miss about working at Concordia, but she will continue to cheer Concordia on from the sidelines!

In retirement, Anne hopes to continue working in education with a focus on children and poverty. She is also looking forward to singing in a church choir.

“The Center for Student Success is incredibly grateful to Anne Craft for her work. Anne has been committed to supporting students and willing to help out wherever needed. She provided wisdom, experience, and perspective to our team and the students we serve. We will miss her immensely!”

– John Andrick

President William Craft

Dr. William Craft has served Concordia as president since 2011. He has enjoyed seeing the whole city of Concordia faculty and staff bring their skills and devotion to make the mission a lived experience for our students. And he has loved seeing the lives of those students unfold – while they are here, and after we send them out to influence the affairs of the world.

Dr. Craft has had many rewarding experiences at Concordia, but as the son of a building contractor, is especially pleased when big projects have been launched and then completed or implemented through the work of our staff, faculty, and all who love the college:

• The RISE Campaign

• The Integrated Science Center

• The PEAK Requirement

• The Act Six and CAS Scholarship Initiatives

• The Concordia Climate Action Plan

When asked what he will miss most, Dr. Craft stated “Everyone and Everything!” He will specifically miss the music all around him; the beauty of the campus, so well tended; D3 sports with athletes whose names he knows; the great skill of our DS and Facilities staff; the incredible competence of our business and HR people; the knowledge and compassion of our student development colleagues; worship on both ordinary and festival days; the joy of conversation with faculty, both high spirited and good humored; sharing the work here with Anne; and living in the midst of the lives of our students.

Dr. Craft plans to spend long stretches of time with their children and grandchildren – read, write, and ride (his bike), move to the lake and sleep there on Sunday night. He and his wife, Anne, plan to throw themselves into learning lives of the very young – sing in a church choir again, find old friends and share their lives again, and be still for a moment.

“President William Craft has devoted himself to the mission of Concordia for 12 years. President Craft has been an exemplary leader for the college. He has championed Concordia’s commitment to faith and learning, to diversity and environmental sustainability, and to citizenship and work readiness in the liberal arts tradition. Under his stewardship, Concordia completed the most ambitious, comprehensive fundraising campaign in college history. The Concordia endowment has more than doubled over the last decade, increasing support for scholarships and for academic programs. During Dr. Craft’s tenure Concordia has experienced a renewal of the college’s teaching, learning, and recreational facilities with the renovation and new construction of the Grant Center for the Offutt School of Business, the Integrated Science Center, the Jake Christiansen Athletic Complex, and the Center for Student Success. President Craft has strengthened Concordia for the challenges of the 21st century with the repricing of Concordia’s tuition, the move to a Three Schools/One College institutional framework, the shepherding of the defining gift for the Sanford Heimarck School of Health Professions, and the creation of the unified faith and learning initiative. Dr. Craft has also established a more active and collaborative partnership with Concordia Language Villages and has promoted the expansion of Concordia’s graduate and continuing studies.

President Craft has followed the example of our students by being responsibly engaged in the world beyond the Concordia campus. Locally, he has helped frame the renewal of downtown Moorhead, the economic development of Fargo-Moorhead, and the programming of the Tri-College University. In Minnesota, he has chaired the Presidents’ Council for the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and now serves on the Executive and Public Policy Committees of the Minnesota Private College Council, for which he is currently treasurer. Nationally and internationally, he has served as chair of the Association of American Colleges & Universities; of Corus International, the global health and development agency; and of the Lutheran Educational Conference of North America.

President Craft’s contributions have been invaluable and far-sighted and have positioned Concordia to thrive in the decades to come, educating new generations of students to influence the affairs of our world.”

– Mary Ranum

Nicholas Ellig

Nicholas Ellig has worked in the Sociology department for 41 years.

Nicholas had always wanted to be a teacher and his time at Concordia enabled him to achieve this aspiration in the classroom and while traveling abroad with students.

Although there have been many rewarding experiences for Nicholas at Concordia, the opportunities to develop study away programs in Europe and South Africa have been particularly rewarding. It has been his good fortune to share these experiences with students while working with special colleagues.

Nicholas will miss the people who enriched his life for so many years after he retires. He is hoping to spend his retirement traveling with his partner, Donna. He is also looking forward to reading, writing, volunteering in the community, and perhaps completing some unfinished scholarly projects.

“Words cannot describe how much the college owes to Dr. Nick Ellig’s long career of teaching and mentoring students on as well as off campus. I had the privilege to join him on a trip to London and Paris. I learned so much from him about leading students expertly through both cities. Dr. Ellig’s knowledge and experience, organization, and discipline always inspired trust and confidence in his leadership. His integrity made him a wonderful colleague and a dear friend. Dr. Ellig leaves a legacy of excellent graduates, who are continuing his commitment to making a difference in this world. His integrity, respect for others, his loyalty to this college and its mission have deeply impacted me. Dear Nick – Thank you for your service to the college, your friendship, and your collegiality. You will be dearly missed.”

– Sonja Wentling

David P. Eyler

David Eyler has worked in the Music department for 36 years.

Educating students, faculty, and the FM community about the world of percussion and its possibilities has been David’s focus for 36 years. Those years of 8 a.m. classes were tough, he will admit, but having a daily routine where he is inspired and challenged every day by students and colleagues who are as passionate about music as he is has kept the music-making fun.

Performing with the Percussion Ensemble and Marimba Choir at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) in 2013 and the Music Educators National Conference (MENC) in 2004 and the 11 invitations to perform at the Minnesota Music Educators Association Midwinter Clinic (MMEA) along with being featured twice on a live performance on Minnesota Public Radio were unforgettable highlights in David’s career. But so were the 31 Day of Percussion events that brought almost 200 international guest artists to our community. Opening opportunities for his students (and himself) to learn from the best in the field of percussion has been exciting for David. His first 15 years of teaching at Concordia was as the “Tri-College Percussionist,” but that program outgrew one teacher and now there is a full-time, tenured faculty member teaching percussion at each of the area’s three colleges and universities.

David will miss the daily interaction with students and colleagues. Whether his students were math, nursing, business, or music majors, they worked together and earned recognition as one of the most outstanding Percussion Ensemble programs in the U.S. and abroad. David will miss directing the Marimba Choir and Percussion Ensemble and hearing their progress as they rehearsed each week.

David is looking forward to traveling to places he’s only dreamed of during times of the year when everyone else is in school. He would like to present more clinics, guest-conduct a wide variety of groups, and continue to compose more music to further the development of percussion.

“David Eyler has consistently shown his commitment to Concordia as an institution and as a community throughout his 36 years of service. His dedication to the highest ideals of music and teaching is second to none. The college has been incredibly fortunate to have him leading the percussion program in the music department for so many years. He has been a source of knowledge for many students over the years, and his mentorship and guidance has impacted those inside and outside his studio. Students look up to Dr. Eyler because of his kind and caring nature paired with his thirst for knowledge, his professionalism, and his humility despite his vast and impressive accomplishments. He continually searches for growth as a teacher and mentor, always approaches situations with an open mind, and seeks solutions through careful examination of the challenge at hand, transparent communication, and flexibility and pragmaticism. Dr. Eyler puts students first in everything he does, mentoring them well beyond their years at Concordia and taking great pride in helping them reach their goals, both personally and professionally. He encounters students with care, kindness, and respect, as well as consistency, professionalism, and great integrity. Dr. Eyler teaches skills beyond just playing percussion instruments – he teaches students how to be well-organized, humble, and respectful professionals who will be successful at ALL aspects of their future jobs – not just the musical/artistic parts. David Eyler has also been a role model for his colleagues as a humble, life-long learner, exhibiting beautifully the ideals of a responsibly engaged world citizen through his decades of involvement within, and service to our campus and Fargo-Moorhead community. Colleagues look up to David for his immense commitment to students – truly a lifetime legacy. He has helped colleagues see things from different perspectives, reconsider old methods, and encouraged them to try the “new and unknown.” At Concordia, Dr. Eyler has created one of the country’s most accomplished and renowned percussion ensembles – many educators across the region, nation, and world know Concordia primarily because of this ensemble. Dr. David Eyler is a world-renowned educator, performer, and conductor who has brought great acclaim and international visibility to Concordia College, despite his humble, servant-oriented demeanor. He will be greatly missed, but his colleagues and students wish him well in retirement and look forward to discovering what projects he takes on next.”

– Nat Dickey

Sara Gjesdahl

Sara Gjesdahl worked in the Public Safety department for 16 years.

Sara’s favorite memories from her time at Concordia are going on habitat trips with the amazing students.

“Sara, congratulations on your retirement from the college! Thank you for 10+ years at Public Safety as you steered us through the quickly changing world of surveillance cameras, fob readers, and digital everything! But mostly, thank you for caring for and mentoring our student employees. I truly appreciate the kindness and consideration you gave the students and Public Safety staff year after year. All the best!”

– Bill MacDonald

David Hamilton

David Hamilton worked in Music and World Languages for 29 years.

David has enjoyed the daily interactions with students and faculty during his time at Concordia. The true feeling of being a part of a family is rather unusual and special in an academic family, but David is grateful for the experience.

One of the most rewarding aspects of David’s time at Concordia has been introducing students to other cultures through study abroad in Europe, China, and Australia. He has led numerous short-term programs during his time at the college focusing on music, in collaboration with the German department and created the Italian Summer School Abroad. The initiation of the Italian program gave our students the first opportunity in more than 30 years to study Italian as a language at Concordia.

David will miss seeing his friends and colleagues on a daily basis the most during retirement. He will also miss working with music daily, something that hasn’t sunk in for him yet.

David and his husband plan to move to Palm Springs, Calif., after retirement and are looking forward to the warm weather.

“David Hamilton, as a person and as a professor, has always been up for any challenge. He fearlessly goes outside his own comfort zone, learning new things, teaching new classes, traveling to new countries abroad, writing grants, and leading an opera company. He has one gear: forward momentum. His energy, enthusiasm, and advocacy for the art of vocal music will be long remembered and greatly missed. As a former student said, ‘What I’ve always appreciated about Professor Hamilton is the awesome repertoire he allowed me to sing. I always felt like a rock star singing my recitals because nobody else was ever singing the amazing music he allowed me to learn.’ David Hamilton is a beloved ‘gentleman tenor’ who has done it all: guided voice students, given Italian lessons, directed opera and opera scenes, taught vocal literature classes, led the Fargo-Moorhead Opera, created exquisite stainedglass art, and served as a gourmet chef and host! He has had a HUGE and positive impact on Concordia College, generations of students, and the entire Fargo-Moorhead community. His colleagues and students wish him well in retirement as he looks forward to spending more time in Costa Rica and Palm Springs!”

– Nat Dickey

Joy Lintelman

Joy Lintelman has worked in the History department for 34 years.

Joy’s favorite aspect of working at Concordia College has been the opportunities to help students learn how to do historical research and discover new things about themselves and the world around them (past and present).

The projects undertaken with students and other faculty and staff have been especially rewarding for Joy. She has had opportunities to work with students on Centennial Grants, exploring topics such as rural girlhood, Indigenous food practices, and the Bluenose fishing and racing vessel. Joy has also partnered with librarians and archivists on projects such as History Harvests and Digital Humanities.

Joy will miss the friendships she has developed over her years at the college and helping students answer research questions. She will also miss working alongside students in the Concordia archives and the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County and helping students learn about food and history (and in some cases, how to cook) in the food lab.

Joy is looking forward to enjoying lots of things during retirement such as spending time with her family (especially her grandchildren), finishing a research project on East Side Flats (a long-forgotten Minneapolis neighborhood), reading lots of books, weaving rag rugs, knitting, nature drawing, and baking loaves of bread.

“Joy, as a colleague for over 30 years, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the transformative impact you’ve had on the lives of your colleagues and students. Your outstanding work as a professor of history has left an indelible mark on our academic community. Your passion for history and your deep commitment to teaching have inspired countless students to pursue their own academic and personal journeys. Your thoughtful lectures, insightful discussions, creative classroom activities, and rigorous assignments have challenged your students to think critically and deeply about the past and its relevance to the present. I am particularly grateful for your leadership in the History department and your relentless pursuit of excellence in and out of the classroom. You have set the bar very high for your colleagues. You are one of the top teaching professors at Concordia College, and you have helped many of our colleagues to grow as teaching professors and scholars. You have led by example and demonstrated to your colleagues and students how to effectively navigate the challenges and opportunities of college life. Thank you for your unwavering dedication to Concordia, the department of History, and our students. You are an exceptional professor of history, and your presence will be missed. Joy, your contributions have made Concordia College a better place and will continue to shape the lives of generations to come.”

– Vincent Arnold

Shanda Schmidt

Shanda Schmidt worked in Academic Affairs for 22 years.

Shanda enjoyed the variety of different tasks she worked on during her time at Concordia College. Even though she only worked in the Academic Affairs department, there was always a new and exciting project.

The most rewarding part about Shanda’s time at Concordia was seeing the college become more inclusive of support staff. She is also proud of her part in the implementation of Banner but especially the digital catalog.

Shanda misses the people and everyday conversations with her colleagues in retirement.

Shanda is looking forward to the road trips in the summer with her car club, traveling with her kids, and hopefully getting away for at least a little while in the winter. She is also looking forward to decluttering around her house and learning how to use her new sewing machine during retirement.

“Thanks to her long record of service, Shanda Schmidt was the historical source of information in the dean’s office for many years and we will miss her ability to place our current work in a historical context. She could remember lots of details and many past practices: which dean implemented a particular policy or practice; what could be found in the faculty handbook and, often, when it was added; who was hired when; and so on. She was valuable for context and continuity, and she had a good sense of what practices we ought to be improving upon (think summer school pay processes, Shanda!). Over the years, she played a key role in many office advancements, such as helping PTE move forward in using secured online systems for reviewing evaluation materials and adopting “green office” practices. Despite her claims that she didn’t like doing research, she could be relied on to carefully research processes at other institutions and bring forward ideas that might assist us. These are all important contributions, but she will likely most fondly be remembered for the assistance she gave to faculty as they navigated professional development and conference travel funding or for her quick and helpful responses to any questions they had about their pay.”

– Susan Larson

Fred Sternhagen

Fred Sternhagen has worked in Communication Studies and Theatre Art for the past 41 years.

Fred has enjoyed the opportunity to work with students over an extended period of time and help them pursue a goal they are passionate about. He has also enjoyed the challenge of figuring out how to make individual courses and classes work.

Fred will miss hanging out with the creative and energetic students of Concordia the most during retirement.

Fred is looking forward to many things during retirement, including learning how to play the cello, coaching high school debates, completing a minor in art history, studying theology, learning the art of Greek cooking, and visiting the five remaining states in the United States that he hasn’t visited yet.

“It is hard to overestimate the impact that Fred Sternhagen has made on the Communication Studies and Theatre Art department. For more than 40 years, Fred has been an important part of CSTA and Concordia College, shaping numerous lives while here. His dedication to students is apparent in the long hours spent with debate team members and inquisitive students in his courses. His care for colleagues is reflected in equal parts by serious and light-hearted interactions in meetings, hallways, and offices. His concern for excellence is apparent in his urging that even if we are “really good” at what we do, we all can push a little harder to be better. His humanness is reflected in his passionate honesty in all his encounters. You will never have an unimportant conversation with Fred. Some of us who have been in the department a long time have joked that Fred was going to outlast us all, so we were surprised when he announced that he was retiring this year. With a whole lot of thanks, Fred, we wish you a fun-filled future with your grandchildren and many adventures with Jolene.”

– Aileen Buslig

Jan Zaeske

Jan Zaeske has worked in Dining Services for the past 16 years.

Jan has enjoyed working with food! But it’s the people that she works with in Dining Services and other departments that have made her work so enjoyable. It has been an honor and a privilege for Jan to work at Concordia College for the last 16 years. She thinks of it not only as a job but as a place where she has cultivated many friendships as well. “When you love what you do, work doesn’t feel like work.” This is especially true in Dining Services where Jan has worked in a variety of positions.

There have been so many rewarding experiences for Jan here at Concordia. When working in the catering area she had the privilege to personally know two presidents of the college while working in their home. Another special moment for her was planning the catering for the 4 a.m. Weather Channel summer blast that was on national TV. Jan also fondly remembers catering to Bill Gates at his dedication to the Offutt School of Business building. Jan was also part of the project that oversaw that alcohol was legally served on campus and to serve that first toast was truly amazing.

Jan will miss Dining Services food in retirement. We are the #1 Best College Food in Minnesota for a reason. There are so many talented staff in Dining Services that are committed to being the best at what they do. Jan will also miss working with the students who keep her connected to the world around us with their hopes, dreams, and inspirations.

Jan and her husband are looking forward to spending more time with their family in retirement. Most notably her daughter and son-in-law who moved back to the area and her son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren who live in Montana. She is looking forward to sewing quilts, gardening, and working on some other projects. Most of all, Jan is looking forward to relaxing, enjoying life, and not setting her alarm clock.

“Jan Zaeske has worked in several areas of the Dining Service since 2007. Most recently Jan has been my right hand as an administrative assistant, helping me with a myriad of duties and making my job so much easier. She has provided excellent customer service to all our many customers, and we are going to truly miss her beautiful smile and her exuberant “good mornings” each day. Thank you, Jan, for all that you have given the college, students, Dining Services, and each and every one of our staff. You have been a gift all these years. Best wishes for your next journey and enjoy your time with family and friends.”

– Jane Grant-Shambaugh