10 minute read
Class Notes
1 3
2
Advertisement
CAREER
1960s
Gerry Thomas, BA '68, retired from the teaching ministry in May 2019. He taught two years at Lincoln (Neb.) Lutheran Jr. High School and 36 years at Mayer (Minn.) Lutheran High School. He also owned and operated Gerry Thomas Photography.
1990s
Brad Gates, BA '98, MA '03, has been named President & CEO of Structural Concepts, headquartered in Muskegon, Mich.
2000s
Jason DeBoer-Moran, BA '02, MBA '10, was promoted to Director of Congregational Marketing at 1517 Media in Minneapolis where he manages the marketing for Augsburg Fortress and Sparkhouse. Annette (Frank) Duncan, BA '06, was named president of The United Way of Steele County (Minn.) beginning June 1, 2020.
Tim Finley, BA '05, has joined Consolidated Glass Holdings Inc. as an independent sales representative. He is the principal and founder of T. Fin Building Solutions and has spent the past 16 years in the glass industry. Tootie Martin, BA '04, MBA '13, joined the staff at the University of St. Thomas as Director of Development, Morrison Family College of Health in January 2020. Martha (Felde) Paschke, BA '01, is running for the House of Representatives seat representing Illinois' 65th District.
2010s
Rico Bohren, MA '11, was announced as new Assistant Principal at Northfield (Minn.) High School beginning in Fall 2020. Previously he was Dean of Students at Sibley High School.
5
4
Susan Bowler, BA '19, has been promoted to the Communications Services Manager at the Carver County's Sheriff's Office.
1 Jordan Carda, BS '17, MSOP '19, has been hired as a resident prosthetist and orthotist for Prosthetic and Orthotic Care, Inc. (P&O Care) for their three clinics in the St. Louis, Mo. area. He will complete an 18-month residency with P&O Care, then will be eligible to apply to become a Certified Prosthetist Orthotist (CPO) through the American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics & Pedorthics.
Kelly (Anderson) Rioux, BA '17, has been hired as an HR Assistant for the USDA in Minneapolis as part of their Recent Graduates Pathways Program.
EDUCATION
1990s
2 Ella Gates-Mahmoud, BA '97, MA '98, MA '99, is enrolled in the EdD in Educational Leadership at Concordia University, St. Paul.
3 Allan Hansen, BA '99, is pursuing a PhD in Performance Psychology at Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, Ariz.
2000s
Tosca Grimm, MA '05, earned her Doctor of Education (EdD) from Concordia University - Portland Ore, in Transformational Leadership, completing the degree in December 2019. She is currently the Early Childhood Education Center Director at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Edina, Minn. as well as contracted faculty of practice at Concordia University, St. Paul.
2010s
Kyle Sorkness, BA '13, graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary on May 18, 2019, with an MDiv and an MACEF in teaching. He is now working on a Concentrated MAR in Philosophical Theology and Philosophy of Religion at Yale Divinity School.
7 9
8
HONORS/AWARDS
1960s
4 Chris Linn, BA '68, received the 2019 Thomas G. Scullen Leadership Award from the Appleton Education Foundation on Oct. 17, 2019.
1970s
Rev. James McDaniels, BA '72, was honored with the Christus in Mundo (Christ in the World) award in November 2019 by the LCMS. This award recognizes his contributions to LCMS Specialized Pastoral Ministry as a chaplain and pastor. 5 John Schultz, BA '76, was selected as a Herb Kohl Leadership award winner. He is the principal at Pilgrim Lutheran School in Green Bay, Wis. This is his 43rd year in Lutheran education.
1990s
DeWayne Combs, BA '99, LIC '10, was named a Minnesota Teacher of the Year semifinalist in February 2020. He teaches grades 6-8 physical education at Murray Middle School in Saint Paul, Minn.
2000s
Lambert Brown, BA '05, was named runner-up for the Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year Award at the 2020 NFL Pro Bowl. In November 2019, he was also named Coach of the Year by WCCO-TV in Minneapolis. Brown is the head football coach at Wayzata High School in Plymouth, Minn. Jasmin Ziegler, BA '07, was awarded a Minnesota State Arts Board Grant for her poetry.
2010s
Amber Delliger, MAEd '17, was named a Minnesota Teacher of the Year semifinalist in February 2020. She teaches mathematics and adult basic education at Metro North Adult Education (Anoka-Hennepin School District). Emma (Dahl) Bica, BA '11, was named one of 40 under 40 by Exhibit City News for her work as Event Marketing Manager with Trimble Transportation. Ashley Farrington, MAEd '15, EdS '17, has been named Minnesota’s 2020 National Outstanding Assistant Principal by the Minnesota Elementary School Principals' Association. Farrington currently serves as the assistant principal at Wayzata Central Middle School in Plymouth, Minn. Katrina Van Ruyven, LIC '15, MAEd '16, was named a Minnesota Teacher of the Year semifinalist in February 2020. She teaches 7th grade English Learners at Valley View Middle School in Bloomington, Minn.
OTHER
1970s
6 John Lindner, BA '72, celebrated his 71st birthday on April 16,2020. He writes: "During this Covid-19 national shut down, the most important event I'm looking forward to is worshipping in a sanctuary and singing the roof off and receiving Holy Communion!"
ENGAGEMENTS/ ANNIVERSARIES
1950s
Jane (Behrens), AA '59 and Philip Beck, ‘59, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on December 30, 2019.
2010s
7 Katrina Bell, BA '17 and Jordan Stewart, BA '17, were engaged on August 12, 2019. They met in the dining hall at Concordia their freshman year and look forward to their wedding on October 2, 2021.
BIRTHS/ADOPTIONS
2000s
8 Brittany (Ewald), BA '08 and Mike Anderson rejoiced in the birth of their daughter, Mila Elizabeth, on March 31, 2020. She joins big brother, Cameron (2). 9 Billy, BA ‘08, MA ‘11 and Erica Schultz celebrated the birth of their son, Emerson, on May 9, 2020.
IN MEMORIAM
1940s Rev. Robert "Bob" Raabe, HS ’44, JC ’45
Rev. Dr. Walter Rosin, JC '48
Paul Schmidt, HS '49
1950s Loretta Berg, JC '57
Rev. Dr. Carl Borchardt, HS '57, JC '59
Rev. Charles Brehmer, HS '55, JC '57
Paul Brockmann, HS '52
Marcella Kramer, JC '58
Bill Lemke, HS '53
Donna Mielke, JC '57
Donald Wuertz, HS '52, JC '54
1960s Georgia Cleaveland, JC ‘60
Richard Dreger, HS '60
Duane Geary, JC '61 Herbert Lohse, JC '64
Esther Mueller, BA '64
Martin Paul, HS '64, JC '66
Donald Tanner, JC '61 1970s Walter J. Wegner, BA ’70
Rev. Marvin Soulek, BA '71
1980s Richard Davis, BA '88
Jeffrey Stolz, AA '84 Rev. Ron Tibbetts, BA '86
1990s Daniel Boe, BA ’92
Esther Barg, BA '97
Lorraine Minier, BA ’98
2000s Christine Harris, MA ’07
Dennis Jensen, BA '04
Christopher King, MA '09
2010s Erin Steele, BA ’12
Alissa Vandendriessche, BA '14, MBA '19
The NCAA has appointed Concordia St. Paul history professor and Faculty Athletics Representative Dr. Thomas Saylor to the NCAA Research Committee. Saylor will serve a term of four full academic years beginning September 1, 2020 through August 31, 2024. The national committee consists of 10 seats, with two allocated to the NCAA Division II membership along with four from Division I, two from Division III and two additional unallocated seats. Saylor has been serving as CSP's Faculty Athletics Representative since 2012 and has been an official scorer at men's and women's basketball games on campus since the early 2000s.
Dr. Samuel Deressa of the Concordia University, St. Paul, Department of Theology & Ministry, recently had an article published in the Lutheran Quarterly journal entitled “Luther’s Works in Ethiopian Languages”. In this essay, Dr. Deressa reviewed and analyzed all of Luther’s works that were translated to Ethiopian languages in the past one hundred years.
FACULTY/STAFF RETIREMENTS
Kristin Bransford Professor, Psychology Cheryl Chatman Executive Vice President and Dean of Diversity Lesley Erickson Director of Donor Relations
Suzanne Hequet Associate Professor of Practice, Religion Inge Johnson
Carol Klempka Associate Professor of Practice, Business
Christine Kudelka Professor of Practice, Business
Marla Nielsen Cashier
Starkey Inducted into USA Volleyball Hall of Fame
Concordia St. Paul head coach Brady Starkey was honored as among a group of 20 volleyball legends and stars of the sport as he was inducted into the USA Volleyball Hall of Fame. Starkey, who has led CSP to nine NCAA Division II national titles, enters the USA Volleyball Hall of Fame as the Donald S. Shondell All-Time Great Coach (contemporary division) for 2020, becoming the 32nd recipient of the award overall and the first NCAA DII head coach to earn the honor. Custodial Services
Education Faculty Co-Authors Study on Teaching During the COVID-19 Pandemic
CSP assistant professor of education Dr. Laura Wangsness Willemsen co-authored a study on U.S. elementary school teachers’ experiences of and perspectives on teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. The article was published locally by MinnPost. More information about their findings may be found at: https://research.impact.iu.edu/coronavirus/teaching-online
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
ALUMNI
Legacy Welcome Lunch
September 3, 2020 • 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Buenger Education Center
Founders Day Celebration
September 13, 2020 • 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. E.M. Pearson Commons
Class of 1970 Golden Reunion
September 25-27, 2020
Homecoming 2020 October 9-11, 2020
Alumni Awards Banquet
October 9, 2020 • 5:30 p.m. Buenger Education Center
Athletic Hall of Fame Brunch
October 10, 2020 • 9:00 a.m Buenger Education Center
Virtual Book Club
Ongoing visit: ave.csp.edu/bookclub
Leading in Legacy Podcast
Ongoing visit: anchor.fm/leadinginlegacy
Digital Learning Hub
Ongoing visit: alumlc.org/csp
UNIVERSITY
President Friedrich Inaguration
Oct. 10, 2020 • Time: TBA Sea Foam Stadium
Fall Commencement Ceremony
Dec. 12, 2020 • Time: TBA Gangelhoff Center
*All events tentative and subject to change
ATHLETICS
Golden Bear Golf Classic
Friday, July 24 • 11 a.m. River Oaks Golf Course
Rev. Jim Vehling, HS '58, JC '60, and his wife, Jane, found a unique way to fund an endowed scholarship at CSP. See how their gift enables them to receive income today and support future students in need.
LIFE-LONG CONNECTION LEADS TO COUPLE’S LEGACY
Jim Vehling, HS '58, JC '60, remembers standing in front of the Martin Luther statue on the Concordia University, St. Paul “Going away to school at 14, you grow up quickly,” Jim says. “I look back and the teachers were people who cared for us and our education. You could model your life after them.” The experience also formed in him a strong foundation to be able to venture into the world. “Concordia gave me the ability to make decisions, have confidence and accept challenges,” he says. In gratitude for their family’s CSP connection, the couple created two charitable gift annuities that, after their lifetimes, will be used to fund the James J. and Jane E. Vehling Endowed Scholarship. The gift annuities are multiple blessings for the couple, Jim says, in that they provide monthly income to supplement the Vehlings’ retirement income and enable them to create their legacy—and support future students—at CSP. Giving to the Vehlings’ scholarship has become a family affair. Not only does a granddaughter attend CSP on scholarship and play volleyball, but the couple’s two children were totally blessing, and in their case led to a good feeling about their gift.
campus as a boy of 5 or 6. “I’m going to this school,” he told his family. “Even then I was determined to be a pastor like my dad.”
Today, Jim, 80, is a retired pastor living in St. Paul with his wife, Jane, 78. When you establish a gift that pays, you build a Concordia
During their pastoral career, the couple served as missionaries in Japan, among other notable roles. Now, they’ve chosen another mission: giving back to CSP. Jim attended CSP from 1954 to 1960. Jane’s brother, also a retired pastor, and his wife
supportive of the charitable gift. Jim and Jane believe that sharing a charitable giving plan with family—and making them part of the decision—is crucial for family buy-in and “Our children may even one day give to the scholarship, too,” Jim says.
SUPPORT STUDENTS AND YOUR FAMILY
attended CSP, too. legacy and receive income in return. Learn about the benefits of creating a charitable gift annuity by contacting Matt Steiner at (651)641-8243 or steiner@csp.edu or visit https://csp.planmygift.org/.
