CONCORDIA ST. PAUL MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021
Answering the Call: CSP Alumni Serve on the Front Line PAGE 2
PERSEVERANCE AND PRAYER IN PORTL AND PAGE 10 NEW LEADERS TO CHAMPION CSP'S DIVERSIT Y EFFORTS PAGE 14
DEAR READER, Thank you for reading the Concordia St. Paul Magazine. It's an honor to assume the role of editor of this publication, and our team is excited to share this new design and direction for the magazine. I'm grateful for the members our newly-formed editorial board who help shape the direction of the magazine. Their names are listed in the column to the right. We are pleased to have pieces in the magazine written by faculty, staff, students, and alumni. You'll see authors credited at the end of each story. I hope this magazine is meaningful to you in your relationship with CSP.
CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY, ST. PAUL
1282 Concordia Ave St. Paul, MN 55104 (651) 641-8810 1(866) GROW-CSP one.csp.edu
Warmly, @concordiastpaul @concordiastpaulalumni
Billy Schultz, BA '08, MA '11 Editor
CONTENTS publisher
Office of University Advancement editor
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Billy Schultz, BA ‘08, MA ‘11 editorial board
ANSWER ING THE CALL : CSP ALUMNI SERVE ON THE FRONT LINE
Dr. Colleen Arendt Chris Eilitz, MA ‘03 Dr. Oluwatoyin Akinde Fakuajo Tom Halligan, BA ‘14 Loc Luong, BA ‘17 Rhonda (Behm) Palmersheim, BA ‘88 d e s i g n a n d l ay o u t
Upswing Creative St. Paul, Minn. printing
Ideal Printers Inc. St. Paul, Minn.
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BROTHERS SHARE CSP EXPERIENCE
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LIFE IS DONE BET TER TOGETHER
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CSP MOVES FORWARD
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CSP NEWS
MEETING STUDENTS’ NEEDS AMIDST A PANDEMIC
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A CALL TO BRING HOPE AND HEALING
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NEW LEADERS TO CHAMPION CSP ’ S DIVERSITY EFFORTS
ALUMNI NOTES
PERSEVERANCE AND PRAYER IN PORTL AND
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SAUDI CLUB FINDS PURPOSE IN CONNECTIONS AND SERVICE
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ADVANCING THE MISSION OF CSP
About Us
Founded in 1893, Concordia University, St. Paul is a comprehensive liberal arts university that honors Christ and welcomes all to discover and engage their purpose for life, career and service. Mission
The mission of Concordia University, St. Paul, a university of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, is to prepare students for thoughtful and informed living, for dedicated service to God and humanity and for the enlightened care of God’s creation, all within the context of the Christian Gospel. © 2021 Concordia University, St. Paul
Celebrating the Cl ass of 2021 MORE THAN 1,000 graduating students participated in-person and virtually at Concordia’s spring 2021 commencement ceremonies in St. Paul and Portland on April 30 and May 1. Congratulations to the newest members of the Concordia St. Paul Alumni Association!
— Photos by Nick Schroepfer, BA ‘18
SUMMER 2021
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ANSWERING THE CALL
CSP Alumni Serve on the Front Line
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CSP MAGAZINE
Five alumni share how they met the physical and mental health needs of their communities during the pandemic
When the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic in March 2020, words and phrases like “flatten the curve,” “social distancing,” “PPE” (personal protective equipment), and others entered into everyday vocabulary. Much of this terminology and the early communication from public health officials was intended to protect frontline healthcare workers and not overwhelm the healthcare system. Some of these frontline workers are Concordia alumni. Living out their vocations to care for mind and body, these dedicated individuals (and all others on the front lines) deserve a great deal of gratitude and admiration. They have cared for their communities since the earliest days of the pandemic with perseverance and grace.
THE PANDEMIC BEGINS As an urgent care physician assistant with North Memorial Health, Eryn Johnson, BS ‘14, is used to patients coming in for sore throats, flu-like symptoms, sprains, broken bones, and other medical issues and injuries. However, at the outset of the pandemic, patients stopped coming in, and Johnson and her colleagues were on furlough for a few weeks. When they did return to work, they began providing COVID tests at their clinic, first for healthcare workers, and then for symptomatic patients as their supplies increased. “I can’t even count how many people I’ve tested for COVID-19,” she quipped. For Rhonda Niemann, BS ‘15, a respiratory therapist who specializes in ECMO at the M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center, an intense work environment was the norm pre-COVID. ECMO, short for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, is a life support system for the sickest of the sick patients, typically those with heart or lung issues. “This is, on a scale of 1-10 for life support, a 15,” she explained. Niemann shared how difficult it was for ECMO patients to be unable to be present or communicate with their families other than through an iPad screen. “That was really hard — I can’t imagine not being able to see your loved one,” she said. Mental health professionals also experienced dynamic circumstances as the pandemic escalated. Kevin Just, BA ‘02, also works for M Health Fairview as Nursing Director, Adult Inpatient Mental Health & Addiction Services. They started planning for the pandemic as early as late January 2020. “I didn’t quite understand the gravity of what was ahead of us,” he intimated. Just shared that because PPE isn’t typically a concern for mental health providers, like many others, they had to figure out the correct way to use it to keep providers and patients safe.
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Eryn Johnson, BS ‘14 Urgent Care Physician Assistant
Just and his colleagues also rapidly shifted into utilizing telehealth for many of their patients. While this technology was in the longer-term plans for M Health Fairview, he shared that they got it up and running in three weeks. Telehealth also became a necessity for therapist Samantha (Voeller) Hinderks, BA ‘09. “Although telehealth has been around for a while, therapists really haven’t utilized it because we haven’t had to.”
Rhonda Niemann, BS ‘15 ECMO Respiratory Therapist
Hinderks, co-owner and therapist at Turning Leaf Therapy, expanded her staff from six to ten providers in response to an increased demand for mental health services. Existing clients who otherwise may have finished with therapy experienced new levels of stress, depression, and anxiety. Likewise, new clients began therapy in the face of stress brought on by lost jobs, isolation, relational conflicts, loss of milestones and celebrations, and other life events. Hinderks noted that frontline workers, teachers, and students were especially affected.
Kevin Just, BA ‘02 Nursing Director
Samantha (Voeller) Hinderks, BA ‘09 Therapist
Young Vue, BS ‘21
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A “NEW NORMAL” Adjusting to a new normal proved difficult at times for these frontline workers. Best practices, policies, procedures, and treatments changed daily and from patient-to-patient. “With COVID, it’s new and changing everyday, so I have to keep up with the news and the studies that are coming in,” said Johnson. “It’s a constant learning curve.”
“Everything we knew about running ECMO really shifted because this was such a new diagnosis,” recalled Niemann. “What worked for one patient, didn’t work for another.” Hinderks observed how the shift to telehealth provided opportunities to make therapy comfortable for clients. However, for clients who lacked an internet connection, video calls were not an option, so she and her staff had to care for their clients over the phone. The pandemic forced her to consider, “How do we try to streamline services so that people don’t miss their sessions?” In October 2020, while still an undergraduate student, Young Vue, BS ‘21, received an opportunity to work in a Minnesota Department of Health Public Health Laboratory as a student paraprofessional worker. In his role, he reviewed patient demographic information to ensure accuracy of samples prior to sending them for testing. Despite starting this work in the midst of the pandemic, Vue felt prepared to take on the responsibility. “Coming from a biology background and knowing proper techniques and also wearing proper protective equipment, the fear of the pandemic or working with the virus was not as bad as it could have been,” he recalled. “It was really cool to apply what I was learning in school to a job.” Just shared how, about a year into the pandemic, there was an increase in inpatient mental health clients, some of whom had neglected to address mental health issues earlier in the pandemic. Johnson also noted the effects on patients who neglected physical ailments throughout the pandemic. “We’ve actually found out later that a lot of people, because they didn’t come in, are having more medical complications,” she shared.
LIFE AFTER COVID These alumni expressed hope for brighter days ahead, reflected on their experiences, and shared what their work looks like moving forward. Johnson shared her optimism about the impact and availability of vaccines, hoping that people take the opportunity to receive theirs. “I think that’s the best way to fight this,” she remarked. “I would be shocked if [telehealth] goes away,” said Hinderks. Just also affirmed the value of telehealth moving forward for his work, especially for patients already so comfortable using the technology. Seeing the positive results from wearing a mask, Johnson plans on continuing to do so after the pandemic, especially during cold and flu season. “I’ve been so healthy this past year,” she observed. Niemann stressed the importance of respiratory therapists, hoping that people consider a career path in that field. “[W]e’re a huge part of our hospital,” she said, sharing that her team has become closer throughout the pandemic. “We’ve grown to rely on each other more.” Vue is looking forward to continuing his career in healthcare as he heads to medical school. “I love to help people understand concepts or ideas, and I think [by] going to medical school, I will be able to help many people understand their conditions or diseases so that they can live life to the fullest,” he shared. “[The pandemic] shined a light on how im portant mental health is for holistic health,” Just observed. Hinderks agreed with that sentiment, and hopes more people take inventory of their mental health as they do with their physical and spiritual health. “We can control coping skills, we can control how we take care of ourselves,” she said. “Sometimes all you need is to go to that first appointment or make that first call.”
I’ve never worked so hard but felt such great purpose in my entire life. — Kevin Just
“I’ve never worked so hard but felt such great purpose in my entire life,” Just affirmed, reflecting on his and his colleagues’ efforts to maintain the level of care for their patients. “Part of my calling in the medical field is to do the greatest good for the most amount of people.” — Story by Billy Schultz, BA ‘08, MA ‘11, Assistant to the Executive Team and Editor of the Concordia St. Paul Magazine | Photos courtesy of interviewees
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Brothers Share CSP Experience FOR BROTHERS KEVIN, MAED ‘21 AND MICHAEL, MAED ‘21 BEEHLER, TEAMING UP FOR A SHARED EXPERIENCE WAS NOTHING NEW FOR EITHER OF THEM. MOST RECENTLY, THAT PARTNERSHIP WAS ON DISPLAY AS THEY COMPLETED THE MASTER OF ARTS IN EDUCATION PROGRAM AT CONCORDIA. Only 16 months apart in age, the Beehler brothers did a lot together—and got along well. “Our parents say we never really fought,” older brother Michael quipped. The brothers’ strong bond played out on the gridiron, with Michael at quarterback and Kevin at wide receiver for Foley (Minn.) High School and Central Lakes Community College in Brainerd, Minn. After their junior college careers ended, the brothers went their separate ways, Michael to Jamestown College in North Dakota, and Kevin to St. Cloud State (Minn.). However, even while apart, both pursued a calling to education. And they didn't stay apart long. Michael has spent the past eight years in the St. Cloud Area School District, and the past four years at Apollo High School teaching physical education, where he also coaches football. Kevin taught and coached football as well in the St. Michael-Albertville and Princeton school districts. When he had the opportunity to teach science at Apollo three years ago, he jumped at the chance.
FACING COVID
TEAMING UP AT CSP
Like most sectors, the COVID-19 pandemic affected the teaching profession. When distance learning was implemented in Spring 2020, both Kevin and Michael saw the inherent difficulties of distance learning.
Kevin first explored the idea of getting a master’s degree, giving Michael that “final push to become a student again,” as Michael put it. Joining the CSP community together had its benefits: “We were able to encourage each other along the way,” Kevin recalled.
“The hardest part was the free reign students had to log on between 10am and midnight to be counted as present, but we couldn’t always provide help when they needed it,” said Kevin. Michael found that he had to be creative in teaching physical education remotely. He found different ways to get students active, whether it was sharing workouts for them to do, or having them choose a workout of their own that they would log and submit. Both brothers spent the majority of the 2020-2021 school year vacillating between in-person, remote, and hybrid learning, and were glad to return to in-person learning for good in March. “Being back in person makes the job so much easier, and it’s much more enjoyable for the kids,” Michael explained.
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The program has helped the Beehlers see more possibilities and opportunities for their careers after they graduated last month. For Kevin, his experience at Concordia has pushed him to pursue principal licensure. “It opened your eyes to what an administrator does,” he remarked. “There’s so much behind the scenes that happens to make the day-to-day operations successful.” “[The program] gave me an overall confidence, because I learned more about myself, whether it was my belief system, my philosophy, my core values, [or] making ethical decisions,” explained Michael. — Story by Billy Schultz, BA ‘08, MA ‘11 | Photos courtesy of Michael and Kevin Beehler
Meeting Students’ Needs Amidst a Pandemic
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WHEN I GRADUATED from Concordia University in 2015 and took my first teaching job, I knew that there would be unexpected challenges. Professors often reminded us to be prepared for anything in the dynamic world of education. Somehow, I don’t think they had teaching through a pandemic in mind. But then again, none of us really did. In March 2020, Redeemer Christian Academy in Wayzata (Minn.) did what almost every other school around the country did and shuttered the building. We prepared our students and families for what we believed to be two weeks of distance learning. My staff and I scrambled to print off copies, pack up books, and calm our students’ fears. After a final gathering with our entire school to pray and sing praises to God, we sent our students home. Two weeks turned into four, which turned into the rest of the school year. Everyone adjusted daily to new Zoom classes, new methods for receiving instruction, new forms of communication, and the hopeful anticipation of returning to school. My Concordia professors always encouraged us to meet needs where we saw them. Though we couldn’t see the needs of our students as we were used to, we did our best to stay connected and meet new and different needs as they arose.
My Concordia professors always encouraged us to meet needs where we saw them. Though we couldn’t see the needs of our students
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as we were used to, we did
Summer “break” was not exactly that. It was filled with meetings to plan and find creative ways to get our kids back to school. Distance teaching through the spring motivated us to make a commitment that we would do whatever was necessary to bring students back into the classroom. Our return in the fall brought an entirely new set of challenges like creating new mask policies, adjusting classroom arrangements, altering daily schedules, becoming familiar with new technology, and learning new cleaning procedures. We are blessed with technology that allowed us to stay connected during the uncertain months, especially for students and families in quarantine so that they would not miss weeks of instruction. However, I don’t think I’m alone in believing that there is no replacement for the teaching and learning done in a classroom setting. This is where relationships are formed, trust is built, and young learners can grow best. While our environment may have changed, my purpose to teach has not. Amidst the challenges of returning to school this fall came an incredible growth opportunity. Redeemer’s enrollment grew quickly as the school year approached as it did for many Lutheran schools across the country. We welcomed these new students into our Redeemer family and I cherish the chance to share the love of Jesus with them every day. God opened a door for us to serve as a place of safety for these students. Educating students in person was our primary goal and we praise God that we have been able to do so all year. — Story by Natalie (Pieper) Raabe, BA ‘15, MA ‘20, Principal at Redeemer Christian Academy in Wayzata, Minn. | Photo courtesy of Natalie Raabe
our best to stay connected and meet new and different needs as they arose.
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Life is Done Better Together In
MARCH 2020, ONE THING WAS MADE CLEAR TO THE STAFF OF WOODBURY LUTHERAN CHURCH: WHILE THE WORLD WAS SHUTTING DOWN DUE TO COVID-19, MINISTRY WOULD CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. SO, WE PUT OUR VIRTUAL HEADS TOGETHER AND GOT TO WORK.
Our staff worked together and our senior leadership encouraged us to try new things to care for our members (huge shout out to Pastor Tom Pfotenhauer and Joel Symmank…there’s no one else I’d rather have leading us). It wasn’t easy at times. We mourned events that didn’t happen the way we envisioned, mission trips that we didn’t get to go on, and we longed for the days when the sanctuaries at our campuses would be filled again. Even though we mourned, we knew our people needed to hear that their God loves them. Regardless of the circumstances, this is our calling as church workers. While we navigated ministry in a pandemic, our Directional Leadership Team came up with five guiding principles from which all of our ministerial decisions would flow out of: 1 We will be good citizens (Romans 13) 2 We will provide ongoing ministry (Hebrews 10:25) 3 We will make personal connections (Philippians 1:3-6) 4 We will find ways to help (James 1:27) 5 We will steward our resources well (1 Peter 4:10)
These five guiding principles were a lifesaver for the entire staff. They not only helped us make decisions, but they gave us ideas. They gave us the freedom to dream of new and exciting ways to connect with our people and to reach out into our community. These principles helped us to continue down the path of multiplying disciples and transforming lives. I have the joy of being able to walk alongside the kids at our Valley Creek campus and the youth of our Oak Hill campus. Over the past year, we have: • Created quality weekly online kids ministry programming • Provided in-person and online options for both kids and youth • Hosted Vacation Bible Schools in the parking lot of our campuses • Found ways to make our faith milestones (First Communion, Confirmation, Bible University for our 3rd graders) not only happen but still be celebrated by the WLC community As we’ve navigated this past year, we’ve learned lessons along the way, but we’ve been reminded time and time again that life is done better together. We saw that in the teens who were willing to sit on yet another Zoom call on a
Wednesday night when they spent all day in and out of calls for school. We saw that in the kids on the roofs of their parents’ cars in our parking lot for VBS. We saw that in our small group leaders who went out of their way to make sure our kids knew they were loved by them, their church, and God. It’s my prayer that we never forget the ministry lessons we learned in 2020 and how we saw God’s presence and guidance as we made tough ministry decisions, how the Holy Spirit worked in creative ways, and how Christ’s love and compassion flowed to and through our church family as well as our community.
— Story by Sarah Dibbern, BA ‘15, Director of Christian Education at Woodbury Lutheran Church, Woodbury, Minn. | Photos Courtesy of Sarah Dibbern and Woodbury Lutheran Church
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A Call to Bring Hope and Healing
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THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, LIKE SO MANY OTHER CHURCHES AND ORGANIZATIONS, WE AT HOSANNA CHURCH (SHAKOPEE, MINN.) WERE UNSURE OF WHAT TO EXPECT, HOW TO REACT, OR EVEN HOW LONG THIS WOULD ALL LAST. AS TIME WENT ON, OUR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THIS NEXT SEASON WOULD BE LIKE BEGAN TO SETTLE.
As a church, we responded with a continued focus on the Word and worship by starting daily devotions along with Thursday evening worship nights, both on Facebook Live. It was also clear to our Hosanna staff that the Lord was showing us to seek the peace and prosperity of our city (Jeremiah 29:7). In early April 2020, I had a sense we could be doing more, and specifically I could be doing more. At that time, I had no clue what more would be, but soon found a purpose amidst the uncertainty. Hosanna has a ministry called HEART (Hosanna’s Emergency Action Response Team) located on our Shakopee campus. Before the pandemic this ministry mostly functioned as a disaster response team that responded to natural disasters across the country. Over time, the focus of HEART became more local, and the pandemic brought even more opportunities to serve. HEART started to take donations of food and essentials from members of the church, community and local businesses. This led to food distribution drivethrus open to anyone in need at our Hosanna Shakopee campus. For 10 weeks, we invited anyone from the community to the food drive-thrus. It was incredible to see people come back, not only to have their physical needs met through food and essential items, but also to have their spiritual needs met through prayer and encountering Jesus. Every single vehicle and family received prayer while waiting in line. Eventually some of the people came back and praised God for answered prayers. We knew that God had so much more planned. A few members of HEART and Hosanna Shakopee staff felt the prompting of the Holy Spirit to take the drive-thru idea and make it mobile. We prayed and asked God where He was leading us, and the first place was a mobile home community in Jordan, Minn. We went into our first site with only one expectation: God was going to show up, and He was going to show up big. On August 20, 2020 we scheduled our first food drop at Valley Green Manufactured Homes in Jordan. With a team of six, we helped close to 60 families receive food and prayer that evening.
" We’ve helped feed more than 3,300 people in 2020, and more than 8,000 (and counting) in 2021." This led to 28 additional food drops in 2020, and 37 food drops in the first three months of 2021. We’ve helped feed more than 3,300 people in 2020, and more than 8,000 (and counting) in 2021. Teams of volunteers join us as we have traveled throughout Scott and Carver Counties. Our volunteer teams started with 4-5 people at a time, and now have as many as 26 volunteers at each event. The impact the pandemic had on our community was great, but I believe the Lord is greater than any issue. How He is using this to turn more hearts towards Him is incredible. I am grateful and honored to be a part of His plan to bring hope and healing to those in the South Metro. — Story by Dylan Olson, BA ‘13, Children’s Ministries Coordinator at Hosanna Church, Shakopee, Minn. | Photos courtesy of Dylan Olson
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Portlan
Perseverance and Prayer in 10
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PORTLAND NURSING FACULTY REFLECT ON THEIR JOURNEY OVER THE PAST 16 MONTHS.
In February 2020,
Concordia University - Portland (CUP) announced its closure. Soon after, Concordia University, St. Paul officially incorporated Portland’s existing pre-licensure nursing program into its own. Between the closing of CUP, COVID-19, and two natural disasters, nursing faculty in Portland, Ore. persevered in their mission to educate. When asked what it was like to hear CUP was closing, Janiece Paulat, a faculty member in the Accelerated Bachelors of Science in Nursing program (ABSN) said, in a word, “shell-shocked.” While colleagues across the university comforted each other and their students, word spread quickly that CSP was working to acquire the ABSN program. In the wake of this “guarded hope,” Paulat and fellow faculty member Kate Whalen rallied their students, who were rightfully scared about what the closing meant for them. They both advised students to pray but also to stay focused on their studies. And happily, Paulat said, “It worked out,” adding “I am so thankful to CSP for taking our program on and not letting it disappear.” Managing the closing of CUP and joining CSP was only one major hurdle the nursing program faced in 2020. The pandemic dealt a major blow to a critical facet of their programs: clinical experiences. Because of restrictions, students could not gain hands-on clinical experience in hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities. Paulat explained: “From a clinical point of view, we had to scramble to try to come up with alternative ways of providing a clinical experience.”
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Faculty switched to virtual simulations and virtual video briefs where students read and discussed research articles and case studies. “It was really interesting trying to put that together in just a few short weeks to get them the hours they needed,” she said. Thankfully, the Oregon State Board of Nursing approved an emergency rule allowing programs to go to 100% virtual clinical experiences as needed. One concern impacting students, educators, and employers alike is the consequence of nurses graduating without clinical experience. Dr. Hollie Caldwell, Director of the ABSN program, shared that there have been a number of productive conversations with Chief Nursing Officers (CNO) across Oregon to ask them how they are preparing, because “these are not typical graduates.” For example, those graduating during the pandemic “are going to need longer orientation periods, and residency programs are going to have to be beefed up with more hands-on skills,” Caldwell explained.
SILVER LININGS Despite a lack of clinical experience, recent nursing graduates have surprised educators and employers because of other valuable skills they honed through the alternative coursework. Caldwell shared that CNOs across Oregon are noticing recent graduates are in fact better critical thinkers and have greater problem-solving and clinical reasoning skills because of the nonstandard course experiences such as the virtual simulations, case studies, and article briefs. Moreover, she added, these nursing students are more flexible and adaptable. “They’re very resilient. They’re tired, they’ve been anxious, they’ve managed to grit their teeth and bear down and get through this, but they’re also now bringing in this type of flexibility [employers] hadn’t seen in graduates before. They know they might be told one thing only to have it change an hour later because that’s how we’ve all been living for the past year.” Because of these profound competencies developed despite the lack of clinical experiences, nursing programs like Concordia’s are taking steps to revise their post-COVID curriculum and official nursing standards to ensure future graduates also cultivate these critical skills. Caldwell shared, “This has been a transformative experience for most nursing programs. We’re realizing we can teach differently, and we want to do it permanently.”
PERSEVERANCE THROUGH PRAYER Besides the closing of CUP and the pandemic, Oregon also experienced wildfires in the fall that destroyed homes and affected air quality for weeks. Then, in February of this year, an ice storm left some faculty and students without power for up to two weeks. When asked how they persevered through all of these challenges, they responded: “prayer.” Caldwell continued, “I don’t know that I’ve ever prayed so much in my life.” As for Whalen, in her moments of doubt, she remembers “this is where God wants me to be. And I think a lot of our faculty feel that way. That despite all of this, this is where God wants them to be and that has stabilized us because we’re not doing it alone.” Nursing students are not the only ones who became more resilient in the past year. Caldwell shared, “We’ve learned how nimble we are. We know we can pivot at a moment’s notice. We have been tried and we have done it… now we’re able to move from surviving to thriving.” — Story by Dr. Colleen Arendt, Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Concordia University, St. Paul. | Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash
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AFTER A A YEAR YEAR OF OF REACTING REACTING TO TO THE THE AFTER EVER-CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES CIRCUMSTANCES EVER-CHANGING SURROUNDING COVID-19, COVID-19, MEMBERS MEMBERS SURROUNDING OF THE THE CSP CSP COMMUNITY COMMUNITY REFLECT REFLECT ON ON OF LESSONS LEARNED LEARNED FROM FROM THE THE PANDEMIC PANDEMIC LESSONS AND HOPES HOPES FOR FOR THE THE FUTURE. FUTURE. AND
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CSP Moves Forward IN
discussing the university’s discoveries throughout the last year, President Brian Friedrich commented, “We’ve learned a lot about ourselves, about Concordia as an institution and its tenacity, resilience, and agility. This is a strong institution, and the core of its strength is serving students.” Dr. Eric LaMott, Provost and Chief Operating Officer, likewise emphasized the strength of Concordia’s systems and processes, referencing the university’s ability to, “quickly convert, particularly for the [traditional students] to an online learning environment with minimal disruption compared to our competitors.” Dr. Kimberly Craig, Vice President of Enrollment Management, found that, “Our tagline: ‘responsive, relevant, and real’…was truly tested.” Craig also relayed the importance of CSP’s quick and agile response to the pandemic, the relevant nature of that response, and the real and clear direction given to staff and students. She added, “We were all impacted…but we always continue to get back up and we work for each other and our learners.” Indeed, the pandemic impacted both traditional on-campus and adult online undergraduate and graduate students across the university. Isolation and distancing on campus strained mental health and relationships for many students. Additionally, many online students faced financial struggles, working from home, and children’s remote learning or shuttered day care facilities. Dr. Basma Ibrahim DeVries, Professor of Communication Studies, reiterated how hard
everyone worked to support both traditional that is generally associated with a college and adult learners. She discussed how the campus. I cannot wait to see and enjoy the full slate of events and extracurricular activipandemic illuminated across higher education ties to return. Everything from viewing plays the stark inequities in accessibility and the difin person to watching sporting events to full ficulties faced by those attempting to remain participation in clubs, and any other way I on track as universities suddenly transitioned can show student support and enhance the to online learning during the 2020 spring true CSP experience.” semester. Ibrahim DeVries stressed faculty’s support for students inside and outside the classroom, adding that she has “also been part of a Faculty WE’VE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT Learning Circle (which started preOURSELVES, ABOUT CONCORDIA AS COVID) focused on infusing more AN INSTITUTION AND ITS TENACITY, Positive Psychology practices into RESILIENCE, AND AGILITY. THIS IS A our teaching.” STRONG INSTITUTION, AND THE CORE Through unique initiatives such as OF ITS STRENGTH IS SERVING STUDENTS. this, plus growing emphasis on prioritizing mental health and utilizing — PRESIDENT BRIAN FRIEDRICH CSP’s mental, emotional, and spiritual care resources, the Golden Bear community increasingly finds opportuniAdditionally, Davina Srey, ‘22, elementary ties to move forward together. education major, remarked, “I’m definitely As CSP transitions to the next academic year, looking forward to school being 100% fully we look to the future with optimism. Kimberly functioning next year. As someone who will Newton, Assistant Director of Student Activities be the first to graduate from a four-year uniand Leadership, is anticipating a time when versity in my family, I was really nervous that events and programs will not require masks I wouldn’t be able to walk. After hearing and social distancing. “Although this may not that this year’s class would be able to, I’m happen right away, I am hopeful we will get extremely hopeful and excited for next year.” there at some point next academic year,” she Perhaps the most significant lesson of the said. “I know that the transition back to normal pandemic is learning to not take anything (or a version of that) is going to take time so for granted. As Johnson concluded, “the I am thankful to be able to walk through that CSP community has a renewed value for with this community.” each other. Whether that is an in-person Newton is not alone in her anticipation of the laugh, hug, or high-five, we all have an even “reopening” of campus. Dr. Tiray Johnson, deeper appreciation for the students, staff, Assistant Professor of Economics and Finance, faculty, and administration that makes the CSP community so special.” reiterated this excitement, “I miss the buzz
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— Story by Katrina Wiering, ‘22, a public relations and business management double major at CSP | Photo by Nick Schroepfer, BA ‘18
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NEW LEADERS TO CHAMPION CSP’S DIVERSITY EFFORTS AQUEELAH ROBERSON
CSP HAS LONG PRIDED ITSELF ON THE DIVERSITY OF ITS STUDENT BODY AND FINDING MEANINGFUL WAYS TO ENGAGE AND SUPPORT THE SUCCESS OF ALL STUDENTS. WITH THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD IN MINNEAPOLIS AND THE SUBSEQUENT CIVIL UNREST AND CONVERSATIONS ABOUT RACE AND RACISM THAT CONTINUE TODAY, THE IMPORTANCE OF STAFF MEMBERS WHO LEAD CSP’S DIVERSITY EFFORTS IS AMPLIFIED.
IN FEBRUARY 2021, AQUEELAH ROBERSON BEGAN HER ROLE AS DIRECTOR OF THE DR. CHERYL T. CHATMAN DIVERSITY CENTER. Originally from North Carolina, Roberson made Minnesota her home 14 years ago. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from North Carolina Central University (Durham, N.C). Following her tenure at NCCU, she studied at the Conservatory Theatre at the University of Central Florida where she received her Master of Fine Arts. She is pursuing her Doctorate in Educational Leadership at CSP. Previously, Roberson taught career readiness in Minneapolis Public Schools. Over the past 13 years, she has cultivated community connections that supported and encouraged student success. In her spare time, Roberson serves as a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Twin Cities, directs plays, and works with a mentoring program called BLOSSOM with girls aged 7-18.
MYCHAL THOM
Thom most recently served as Head of School at Concordia Lutheran High School (Fort Wayne, Ind.) from 2016-2021. Thom is on the roster of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod as a Minister of Religion-Commissioned.
the table and to be a part of their life journey, even if only for a little while. Being able to help people along their journey to discover the passion and purpose of their life, in accordance with God’s will, is tremendously exciting.”
In his role as Associate Dean for Academic Innovation, Thom will focus extensively on supporting CSP’s goal of adding between two and four new programs annually, aligned with CSP’s growth plans. He will also teach courses in biological and health sciences.
Thom holds Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from Oakland University (Rochester, Mich.). In 2009, he completed the Colloquy program at Concordia University Ann Arbor.
“What excites me the most about this position is the opportunity to meet children of God in a new place and different area, and appreciate the diversity of God’s creation,” Thom explained. “I very much enjoy learning about the stories that individuals bring to
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“I am honored to be chosen to serve the CSP community as director of the Chatman Diversity Center,” Roberson said. “It is the marriage of applying scripture consistently and conscientiously, informing the community of the Christian worldview, and walking out my purpose and a high regard for humanity.”
MYCHAL THOM HAS ACCEPTED A DIVINE CALL TO SERVE AS ASSOCIATE DEAN OF ACADEMIC INNOVATION AND CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER AT CSP. THOM WILL BEGIN THIS NEW ROLE ON THE UNIVERSITY’S EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM THIS SUMMER.
As Chief Diversity Officer, Thom will work with stakeholders across the CSP community to help champion a mindset of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:17-18) and the advancement of justice, mercy, and humility (Micah 6:8). Working closely with the expanding Chatman Diversity Center, Thom will help the team grow the visibility and impact of this important fixture within the CSP community.
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The Chatman Diversity Center serves as an important hub and resource for all topics related to diversity at CSP. The Center’s mission is to provide vision and leadership for the university’s diversity efforts through creative programming, effective consultation, and continuous collaboration for the campus community. The office sponsors cross-cultural programs and activities that provide opportunities for meaningful dialogue, interactions, and experiences that increase the knowledge, appreciation, trust, and respect for students from all cultures.
“Mychal’s work among us will increase the University’s capacity to help meet the needs of our diverse faculty, staff, alumni, student body, and external constituencies as he helps enable our executive leadership team and board to achieve the outcomes of our ambitious and dynamic strategic and diversity plans,” said President Brian Friedrich. “As my family and I look forward to joining the CSP community, we were drawn to the energy of the campus and the moativation to make a Christ-like difference in the community,” Thom said. “We look forward to the opportunities that a university campus brings, as well as what the Twin Cities has to offer.”
— Story by Danielle Sarim, BA ‘12, Marketing Copywriter in CSP's Office of Marketing and Communications; and Billy Schultz, BA ‘08, MA ‘11. | Photos: Aqueelah by Nick Schroepfer, BA ‘18; Mychal courtesy of Mychal Thom
SAUDI CLUB FINDS
PURPOSE IN CONNECTIONS AND SERVICE
STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD CHOOSE TO ATTEND CONCORDIA ST. PAUL TO PURSUE AN INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION EXPERIENCE UNLIKE ANY OTHER. In fact, during the 2020-21 academic year, CSP’s student body included 100 students from 23 different countries. For the 25 students hailing from Saudi Arabia this past academic year, CSP’s Saudi Club fostered a sense of community and inspired service among its members. The club’s work and activities helped earn them the title of “Best Saudi Club” in Minnesota by the Saudi Clubs Union in Minnesota.
FINDING COMMUNITY Discovering a sense of community is important for all students, but for international students, that happens in a new place and new culture. To create that sense of community, students from Saudi Arabia came together in 2015 to form CSP’s Saudi Club. CSP alum and current MBA student Ali Alshehri, BS’ 20 served as president in 2020. To Alshehri, Saudi Club is more than just a club organized around a common interest or identity. “The Saudi Club is an opportunity that opened doors for us to apply what we gained from our studies,” Alshehri explained. “We really wanted to add value and do something to build the bridge between students and strengthen social ties.”
INSPIRING SERVICE Alshehri knew that to build bridges, their club would need to find ways to connect. After their first event, an orientation, the group found many ways to connect, one of which was serving in the community. For instance, the group has volunteered together with Feed My Starving Children and with Share the Warmth as a way to give back. From there, the list has only grown. CSP’s Saudi Club has led and participated in activities including working with Waey Association for Community Health, a non-profit organization, to organize a seminar with a Saudi doctor talking about mental health during the COVID crisis; celebrated Eid Al Adha with patients at the Mayo Clinic by bringing patients flowers and cupcakes; and even observed the G20 Summit with inspirational materials like notebooks and sticky notes – little gifts to help students get through their finals.
“Most of the international students would leave the state and be uable to come back to the United States,” Alshehri shared. “We had to find an alternative way to celebrate the students’ accomplishments.” That alternative was a drive-thru-style commencement ceremony. At first, the group planned to hold the ceremony in the parking lot of a hotel. With the help of CSP faculty and staff, they were able to hold it on campus in one of Concordia’s lots. “We’re so proud of the drive-thru graduation,” said Alshehri. “These students worked so hard for their degree and I am glad we were able to celebrate their success and achievements.”
RESILIENCE IN 2020 When COVID-19 took hold in the United States in early 2020, CSP moved all classes online. Along with this radical shift in the academic experience, clubs like the Saudi Club also had to pivot how they planned to stay connected. “We wondered if we should give up,” said Alshehri. “Should we find another alternative? What are we going to do?” Thankfully, they found a way to continue as a community, coming together to find ways to give back during such a challenging time. To gether, they created care packages to distribute. “During that time, it was very hard to find [hand] sanitizer, masks, and gloves,” Alshehri explained. “In April, we gave out almost 45 bottles of sanitizer, masks, gloves, and more to students.” As May approached, so did commencement. At CSP, all ceremonies shifted to a virtual format. With that news, Alshehri and the Saudi Club came together to discuss what else they could do to celebrate and honor the graduates.
LASTING CONNECTIONS For Alshehri, the Saudi Club has meant more than just an extracurricular activity to add to his resume. It’s impacted him on a deeper, more personal level. “When I was elected president of the Saudi Club, I didn’t know most of the Saudi community here at CSP,” noted Alshehri. “Through Saudi Club, I had the opportunity to know all of them and establish a strong relationship between the club and the students.” Alshehri is grateful to the entire CSP community for their support, giving particular thanks to the Director of International Student Services, Tiffanie Loeb Schneider, Professor Renata Mayrhofer, and Assistant Director of Student Activities and Leadership Kimberly Newton.
— Story by Danielle Sarim, BA ‘12 | Photos courtesy of Ali Alshehri
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CSP MOURNS BELOVED PROFESSORS In a two week period in late winter, two long-time emeritus professors were called to their heavenly rest, Dr. Carroll “Pete” Peter and the Rev. Dr. Stephen Stohlmann, AA ‘62. Pete joined the CSP faculty in 1955, teaching at the high school and junior college levels. In 1964, he became the registrar, faithfully serving in that role until his retirement in 1995.
TRAUMA AND RESILIENCE PROGRAMS LAUNCHED CSP is responding to the need for professionals who serve people deeply affected by traumatic experiences with the launch of two graduate program offerings in summer 2021 focused on trauma, resilience, and self-care. This focus is made even more relevant due to inordinate stressors and traumatic incidents in society over the past 18 months. For people who work in crisis-heavy professions, it’s essential to develop skills and knowledge to help them address the real-world challenges they face on the job. Professionals in criminal justice, mental health, public health, education, and other occupations that frequently deal with people in crisis will particularly benefit from these new offerings. The first option is a 15-credit certificate program that includes five courses that can be completed in 10 months. It can be associated with many of CSP’s graduate degree programs in forensic behavioral health, criminal justice, law, nursing, and other human services fields of study.
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In 1980, Marilyn Reineck joined the CSP faculty in the communication studies department, and was named department chair in 1995. Serving in that role until 2009, she helped build the program and equipped students for a variety of career pursuits. In 2009, she was named dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
After retirement, Pete stayed involved at CSP, leading communications efforts for the retired faculty group, namely as editor of the “Monday Memo.” In 2019, in recognition of all of his contributions, CSP awarded Pete an honorary doctor of letters degree. Stohlmann joined the CSP faculty in 1976 to teach theology and Biblical languages. Highlights of his career include serving as chair of the religion division, chair of the pre-seminary program, and as the first director of the Oswald Hoffmann School of Christian Outreach. He retired from teaching in 2008 and fully retired in 2012.
The second option is a Master of Arts degree with an emphasis in human services, trauma, resilience, and self-care. This program will encompass 36 credits of coursework completed over 22 months. “It’s very rewarding to bring this kind of forward-thinking academic programming to CSP students so they can go out and be of greater value in their chosen professions,” said Jerrod Brown, Ph.D., assistant professor and program director. “Many of the professions we support see huge increases in issues related to complex trauma, toxic stress, and childhood trauma – compounded by isolation and confinement due to the current pandemic. The demand for such expertise is likely only going to increase.”
REINECK RETIRES
— Dr Carroll "Pete" Peter (L); Rev. Dr. Stephen Stohlmann (R)
The CSP community extends its deepest condolences and prayers for comfort and peace to the Peter and Stohlmann families.
In 2011, she left CSP for a senior leadership position, and returned to CSP in 2015 as Vice President for Academic Affairs. In this role, she helped lead the university’s successful Higher Learning Com mission re-accreditation effort, which was completed in 2018. She recently announced her retirement from Concordia after a tenure filled with growth and change. “Dr. Reineck served CSP’s faculty, staff and students with extraordinary integrity, faith, wisdom, and grace. All that she did, she did very well,” reflected President Brian Friedrich. She had the gift of empowerment, consistently attracted outstanding faculty to the university and enabled colleagues to leverage all of their gifts and talents and serve our students with joy.”
“I love our mission and CSP’s commitment to students and helping them succeed,” Reineck said. Having colleagues with a strong commitment to helping students and providing quality learning experiences for them as well as the opportunity to learn from each other through lively discussions of ideas is priceless.” In retirement, Dr. Reineck plans to spend time with her grandchildren, work on writing and research projects, and pursue volunteer opportunities.
CHURCH WORK RESET Beginning this fall, full-time students enrolled in church work programs will pay no more than $6,000 in tuition each academic year in a bold new move to increase affordability and accessibility. Concordia St. Paul’s commitment is to prepare more workers for the church as the most
affordable church work option in the Concordia University System of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). “When I was first told about the tuition guarantee, my jaw dropped,” recalled Christian Ministry major and Director of Christian Education program student Madison Patrow, ‘22. Eligible church work students will receive a minimum of $17,900 in combined institutional financial aid each year. Scholarships and grants from a student’s home congregation, LCMS District and local communities may be stacked on top of this guarantee to further reduce the cost of tuition and living expenses. Chair of CSP’s Department of Theology and Ministry, the Rev. Dr. Mark Koschmann, emphasized the impact of this move on CSP and its church work students. “Where you study matters, and we are confident that CSP is the best all-around choice for preparing for church work in the LCMS,” he said. CSP President Brian Friedrich echoed the excitement surrounding this announcement. “We pray that this university-wide investment will be joyfully received by the church and again demonstrate CSP’s deep commitment to making known the Good News of Jesus Christ on campus, throughout the LCMS, and around the world.”
FINE ARTS PROGRAMS CREATIVELY ADAPT Despite limitations brought on by the pandemic, CSP’s fine arts programs have found ways to be creative as they share their gifts with the community. In lieu of a multi-state tour, our Christus Chorus, led by Dr. David Mennicke, did just that by video recording a number of choral pieces available for use in worship services, including Lent, Holy Week and Easter. More than 50 congregations across the US have taken advantage of this opportunity to have their worship enhanced by our students. Along with Christus Chorus and Jubilate Choir holding in-person and livestreamed concerts, Handbell Ensemble and Percussion Ensemble also held in-person performances. The spring music ensembles concert was presented both outdoors and indoors, with the Concert Band performing on the Knoll and the Chamber Ensemble performing in the Buetow Music Auditorium. CSP’s Theatre and Dance programs also performed their art in nimble ways. Students performed the play Ghost Sonata, which was livestreamed in February. Spring Into Dance, the annual dance recital, was held with a combination of indoor and outdoor events to provide a safe environment for performers and the audience. In April, the Tintypes Project was released virtually. Tintypes is a reworking of a musical revue of music and characters of the Ragtime era, set in the context of our modern cultural moment, featuring student research, choreography, direction, and scenic design. Our students, faculty, and staff look forward to the hopeful return of in-person performances of all performing arts groups in the 2021-22 academic year.
RAMS DRAFT GARRETT Chris Garrett, ‘21 became the second player drafted in the history of Concordia-St. Paul football when the Los Angeles Rams selected him in the seventh round with the 252nd overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. A native of Milwaukee, he was one of the most feared pass rushers in NCAA Division II football during his Golden Bear career. Garrett, drafted as an outside linebacker, set the CSP career sacks record with 36.5 over 28 career games—ranking 13th in NCAA DII history and second in NSIC history—and set the NCAA DII career record with 15 forced fumbles. He was a two-time All-American, and a preseason All-American entering his 2020 senior season, which was cancelled due to COVID-19. — Photo courtesy of the Los Angeles Rams
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AWARDS 1980s Mark Moss, BA ‘81 was selected as a board member for Lutheran Heritage Foundation. 2000s Jamie Walker, BA ‘07, MBA ‘19 was awarded Healthcare Leader of the Year by GDS, a global leadership organization. 2010s Angela Lewis, BA ‘10 has been accepted into the International Society of Female Professionals.
ALUMNI NOTES SUBMITTED BETWEEN OCTOBER 20, 2020 AND MARCH 21, 2021
Keisha Davis, MA ‘11, Assistant Principal of Birch Grove Elementary School for the Arts in the Osseo Area Public Schools, is Minnesota’s 2021 National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) Outstanding Assistant Principal. ADOPTIONS/BIRTHS 1960s Dolores Holm, JC ‘61 is anticipating the birth of her first granddaughter in June. 1970s Christine (Blaske) Wood, BA ‘79 has been blessed with 11 grandchildren. She looks forward to welcoming her second great grandchild in June. 1980s Rev. Dr. Joel Boesche, BA ‘83 and his wife welcomed their first grandchild in April 2021. 2000s
Tara (McMiller), BA ‘09, Ryan, and Maggie Darling welcomed Mack Ryan into their lives on November 9, 2020. 18
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2010s
1980s
Gerald Miller, BA ‘10, MA ‘12 and his wife Nicole are proud parents to Luke (5), Lucy (3), and Leah (1).
David Funke, BA ‘81 retired after 39 years of ministry (5 years in Calgary, Alberta, and 34 years in St. Louis, Mo.). Rev. Robert Tasler, ‘65 was ordained 50 years ago. He continues to publish daily devotionals, novels and Bible studies.
Kellie (Doble), BA ‘12 and Patrick McCabe welcomed Bennett to their family in May 2020. Big brother Theo loves giving his little bro hugs and kisses. CAREER 1960s
Raymond, JC ‘60 and Neva (DeGroat), JC ‘60 Geweke are both retired and are thankful for their time at CSP and the impact it made on their lives.
Rev. Bob, AA ‘61 and Alice (Kratt), AA ‘62, MA ‘00 Smith live in Hawaii, where Bob serves as vacancy pastor at Messiah Lutheran Church in Ewa Beach on the island of Oahu. Raymond Hauer, AA ‘63 served for 39 years in Lutheran education as a teacher and a principal. He and his wife of 53 years, Erika, have three grown children: Peter. Nicole, and Bryan and six grandchildren.
Ronald Rall, AA ‘67 is currently serving with OIM as a part-time missionary to Papua New Guinea. Enith (Degler) Bailey, BA ‘69 took her original call to Trinity Lutheran School Wisconsin Dells, Wisc. after summer school at CSP in 1969. She retired from teaching there after 52 years. She is still under contract as church music director, choir director, and church organist. She continues to live in Wisconsin Dells. Stan Tordsen, BA ‘69 just finished serving as an English Conversation Partner to students in both Puerto Rico and the Czech Republic. Stan has been a writer for HopeFull Living, devotions for seniors. In November 2016, Stan received the LCEF Fred E. Lietz Ministry Award for his work with the Young Investors Program at St. John’s Lutheran in Stewartville, Minn. He retired in 2010 after teaching 39 years in the Stewartville Public School District. 1970s Jane Wallukait, BA ‘71 enjoys subbing and teaching a school math enrichment program for grades 4 through 8 every summer. She also mentors new teachers.
Linnette (Shumacher) Thomason, BA ‘73 retired in June 2018 after 40 years of teaching. She is now enjoying her nine grandchildren and is a substitute teacher when needed.
Wendell Robson, BA ‘76 retired after 44 years serving in the Lutheran teaching ministry. Thirty-four of those years were serving as a school principal or administrator. His wife, Dawn, is also retired. They now reside in Chandler, Ariz.
Paul, BA ‘77 and Joy (Blasingame), BA ‘77, MA ‘98 Mueller retired from Concordia Portland in January 2020 and moved to Florida. Paul retired from Mission Training Center (MTC) in March 2021. He continues to serve on various boards related to Gospel proclamation, mission and outreach. They have six grandkids - two in Spokane, Wash. with their daughter Rachel (Joe), and four in Lake Elmo, Minn.: two with their son Brandon (Juli), and two with their son Michael (Donna).
Brian Moldenhauer, BA ‘85 has worked in auto sales for General Motors for 27 years. 2000s
Kristina (Clark) Gaalaas, ‘02 renovated a turn of the century home into her financial services office to help revitalize vacant buildings in Grand Rapids, Minn.
Lee Hass, ‘78 retired in 2015. He and his wife have two children and two grandsons. They love camping, bowling, and golf. Craig Mathews, BA ‘77 retired from pastoral ministry on May 31, 2020. He is an ACE certified personal trainer working part-time at the Bradenton YMCA in Bradenton, Fla.
Lori (Potratz) Gamble, BA ‘82 recently retired from DCE ministry and is currently serving as a Mary Kay Independent Consultant and helps her husband, Bruce Gamble, with Bruce’s Home Repair.
Kathy (Remund) Lane, BA ‘78 retired from DCE ministry in June 2020. She served congregations in Manitowoc and Appleton, Wisc.
George Earhart, BA ‘79 retired in January 2018.
Dustin Kalis, BA ‘04 was hired as Fire Chief of the Lake Elmo Fire Department in September 2020. Cory Olson, BA ‘04, MA ‘06, MBA ‘14 has been named President of Maxwell Healthcare Associates (MHA) and will serve as a member of MHA’s Executive Leadership team. JoAnn Gordon Mays, MA ‘05 became the CEO/Owner of Nani’s Sweets in 2019. Sherry Kollmann, MA ‘07 was named the first vice provost for digital learning initiatives at New Mexico State University, a new role created to develop and drive an online and digital education strategy for the university. Evan Palenschat, BA ‘08 has been elected partner at King & Spalding LLP.
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Nicole Frethem, MA ‘09 was reelected to the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners in November 2020. 2010s Theresa Starkman, MA ‘10 is an adjunct faculty member at Concordia St. Paul and the Assistant Director of Special Services and Learning for South St. Paul Public Schools.
spreading, and we faced the world’s second largest explosion. CSP taught me to remain strong and use my knowledge and my heart to keep moving forward. As a founder of a vocational school for exercise professionals, I managed to keep my school surviving no matter what. I am grateful to CSP and all my peers who supported me.” Ashley O’Reilly, BA ‘19 transitioned from teaching second grade to preschool at Goddard School. She is married to Jordan. 2020s
Thomas Gillespie, MBA ‘11 has been named President and CEO of Living Well Disability Services. Adam Woods, BA ‘16, MA ‘18 began a new role as Assistant Principal at Osseo Senior High, Osseo, Minn. He also accepted a position as an adjunct professor at St. Cloud State University where he is finishing his superintendent license.
Tim Hoyt, MA ‘20 was appointed police chief of the New Hope, Minn. police department. Alberta Konadu, BA ‘20 accepted a full time position at a childcare facility two weeks after graduation. Her employer loved that she had work experience in Early Childhood Education. Christopher Lian, MA ‘20 is a teacher. He and his wife have four boys ages 7, 5, 5, and 3.
Patrick Bejjani, BA ‘19 lives in Beirut, Lebanon. He shares, “This should tell a lot. My country is bankrupt, the pandemic is
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Michelle Mahoney, MBA ‘20 began a new job as Associate Director of Statistics for a major pharmaceutical company. She is also an adjunct faculty member for Concordia’s MBS program.
IN MEMORIAM
1970s
EDUCATION
1930s
Madalyn Petersen, BA ‘73 passed away on January 9, 2021.
2000s
Rev. Roland Jank, Sr., HS ‘38, JC ‘40 passed away on January 27, 2021. 1950s Rev. Frederick Koehler, HS ‘50, JC ‘52 passed away on January 18, 2021. Walter Hed, JC ‘53 passed away on February 9, 2021. Richard Krogen, JC ‘56 passed away on January 14, 2021. Arlene (Syrjala) Tarvainen, JC ‘56 passed away on November 29, 2020.
Rev. Terry Jobst, BA ‘77 passed away on June 27, 2020. Rev. Gary Downs, BA ‘78 passed away on January 24, 2021. Carlos (Chuck) Gomez, BA ‘78 passed away on January 5, 2021. 1980s Rev. Michael Vokt, BA ‘80 passed away on January 25, 2021. Susan Ostermann, BA ‘85 passed away on February 2, 2021.
Janet (Emanuel) Landgraf, JC ‘57 passed away on October 23, 2020.
Ramona Kramer, BA ‘87 passed away on December 28, 2020.
1960s
Lois Burg, BA ‘91 passed away on November 9, 2020.
Norbert Strecker, HS ‘61, JC ‘63, BA ‘65 passed away on January 25, 2021. Lowell Braun, HS ‘63, AA ‘65 passed away on November 17, 2020. David Marth, AA ‘67 passed away on February 19, 2021. Kathryn (Hahn) McKinney, BA ‘69 passed away on October 22, 2020.
1990s
Douglas Martin, BA ‘94 has passed away. Ward Yunker, BA ‘98 passed away on January 13, 2021.
Samuel Momah, BA ‘00 earned three degrees after earning his Bachelor’s degree from CSP. His degrees include: MS Engineering, MBA Technology Management, and Ph.D. Management and Organization Leadership. Jacob Thorson, BA ‘08 graduated from Bethel University in August 2020 with a Masters in Ministry. Karen Davis Platt, MA ‘06 began studies in CSP’s Doctorate of Education Educational Leadership program. 2010s
2000s Stephanie (Gergen) Lohrenz, BA ‘03 passed away on November 7, 2020. 2010s Dorothy Piatti, MA ‘10 passed away on October 9, 2020.
Allison Pfleghaar, BA ‘14 is graduating on May 2, 2021 from Florida Gulf Coast University with a Master’s of Science in Occupational Therapy. Della Buege, BA ‘19 is on the path to becoming a licensed clinical mental health therapist.
2020s
1980s
Daniel Carter, BA ‘20 was recently accepted for graduate studies at Concordia St. Paul.
Rev. Wayne, BA ‘82 and Becky King celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary in September 2020. God has blessed them with two daughters, two sons-in-law and five grandchildren.
Jessie Nagler, MS ‘20 is finishing up a few more classes, then starting medical school. ENGAGEMENT/ MARRIAGES/ ANNIVERSARIES
2000s
1960s
Gary, HS ‘62, JC ‘64 and Mary Mueller celebrated their 50th anniversary on August 1, 2020. They are moving in late March 2021 to Hawkins, Mo. Phyllis (Foreman), BA ‘65 and Rodney Otto will celebrate their 55th anniversary on July 2, 2021.
Frederic Lussky, HS ‘38, JC ‘40 celebrated his 100th birthday in March 2021. 1970s
2000s
2010s
Danielle (Bredy) Sarim, BA ‘12, is a Board member of Moe123, a non-profit scholarship fund based in Minneapolis. Her family founded Moe123 in early 2018 in honor of her brother-in-law, Mostafa “Moe” Sarim, who passed away from complications of the flu. http://moe123sf.org/ 2020s Natalie Orbeck, BS ‘20 is a veteran, nurse, mother, and a widow since losing her husband to leukemia four years ago. After Josh passed, Natasha became passionate about fighting against blood cancers. She has been nominated for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s 2021 Woman of the Year. https://pages.lls.org/ mwoy/mn/mn21/norbeck
Michelle Salcedo, MA ‘08 recently had a book, Uncover the Roots of Challenging Behavior, published. It is available through Free Spirit Publishing and Amazon.
Sharon (Schmidt), BA ‘68 and Charles Rosen celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on August 15, 2020.
John, BA ‘72 and Cheryl (Carlson), BA ‘70 Lindner celebrated their 49th anniversary on November 27, 2020.
Susan (Blom) Peters, BA ‘73 celebrated her 70th birthday in 2020.
Elin Hogan-Gomez, BA ‘09 married Adam Hogan on September 18, 2020 in St. Louis, MO.
Lyle, AA ‘67 and Suzanne Matthias celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on June 14, 2020.
1970s
Kennedy Lukoye, MA ‘19 got married in 2020 and also wrote a book, his memoir, released in April 2021.
1930s
Elizabeth (Caulkins) Tharp, BA ‘08 married Nathan Ryley Tharp on Sunday, November 29, 2020 in Jacksonville, Tex. They reside together in Tyler, Tex.
Natalie (Pieper) Raabe, BA ‘15, MA ‘20 married Alec Raabe in Plymouth, Minn. on November 25, 2020.
INSTALLATIONS/ ORDINATIONS 1990s
GENERAL NEWS
Curtis Foreman, JC ‘60 and Judy Wogsland were married on September 26, 2020. Richard, HS ‘60, JC ‘64 and Kathleen Wagenknecht celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on October 22, 2020.
2010s
Marc, MA ‘20 and Michelle Pentland are moving to their forever home in Florida after Michelle retires in Spring 2020.
Shawn Hecksel, BA ‘97 was ordained and installed on January 24, 2021 as Pastor of Faith Formation at Cornerstone Lutheran Church in Carmel, Ind. 2000s Rev. Christopher Martin, ‘02 was installed as Senior Pastor of Hope Lutheran Church, Ladysmith, Wisc. and Glen Flora Lutheran Church, Glen Flora, Wisc. in Nov. 2020. 2010s Jon Kuehne, BA ‘11 accepted a call and is now serving as Campus Pastor of Trinity First Lutheran School in Minneapolis, Minn.
Maria Markman, BA ‘16 serves as Associate Pastor of Faith Formation at Grace Lutheran Church in Andover, Minn.
SUBMIT YOUR OWN ALUMNI NOTES AT ONE.CSP.EDU/SHAREYOURNEWS
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From the Office of University Advancement OVER THE PAST YEAR, our Concordia St. Paul alumni, donors and friends have shown overwhelming support for the mission and vision of this wonderful university. This support helps our learners afford, access, and achieve life-changing educational opportunities. President Brian L. Friedrich, BA ‘�9 reiterated his gratitude for the support CSP has received during these challenging times. “Amazing things are happening in this place where ‘Christ is honored, and all are welcome,’” he exclaimed. “I continue to be inspired and humbled by the tremendous support our students receive from our alumni and friends. Laurie and I love giving back to our alma mater that has given us so much, and we are grateful for the hundreds of donors who have joined us in blessing CSP students.” The support of our generous donors continues to be a driving force behind sustained enrollment growth. As the second-largest private university in Minnesota, we continue to serve more and more students, which means the need for additional financial resources also grows. Currently, 86% of students receive financial aid from CSP. Concordia students repeatedly show gratitude for the support they receive, and their understanding of the financial implications of attending college make for a strong culture of philanthropy around campus. This culture follows students as they graduate and become alumni, with 40% of donors during the COVID-19 pandemic being CSP alumni. Rhonda (Behm) Palmersheim, BA ’88, Associate Vice President for Alumni & Constituent Relations, believes that alumni giving will always be an important piece of Concordia’s story. “Concordia St. Paul is blessed by the support it receives from its alumni,” she said. “Your support strengthens the value of a CSP degree, honors the legacy of students spanning the last 128 years, and proclaims your commitment to our current students. Your support will make a difference today and in the years to come.” During a year that brought challenges to our students and the world at large, we are inspired by the commitment to our beloved university from alumni, donors, and friends. Thank you to those that have supported Concordia with their time, talent, and treasure. We look forward to building upon our current momentum as we enter our new fiscal year in July.
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The scholarships that I have received from these generous donors have allowed me to pay my tuition in full and guarantee completion of my bachelor’s degree. Thank you so much for investing in me, and I look forward to finishing my education here at Concordia St. Paul.
Derrick Artero, ’21 Nursing, Portland Photo courtesy of Derrick Artero
CSP has blessed me with many opportunities and many faculty and staff members who have helped me find the right path. Thank you again for your generosity! It has allowed me to be the first female in my family to attend a four-year university. Without you, I would not have been able to flourish at CSP and would have never truly enjoyed the wonderful environment and people.
Emily Woodhall, BS ’21 Mathematics, St. Paul Photo courtesy of Emily Woodhall
PHILANTHROPY AMIDST PANDEMIC INCLUDES GIFTS GIVEN BETWEEN MARCH 2020-MAY 2021
NUMBER OF DONORS
2,163 22
NUMBER OF NEW SCHOLARSHIPS
% OF ALUMNI DONORS
40%
619
NUMBER OF NEW DONORS
DONOR-FUNDED STUDENT AID
$846,600 SUMMER 2021
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GIVE NOW TO IMPACT TODAY’S STUDENTS ANNUAL SUPPORT TO THE OPPORTUNITY FUND enables CSP to address the areas of greatest need for our students. Donor support ensures that a Concordia education remains affordable, accessible and achievable while also providing a meaningful Christ-centered educational experience that prepares students for their future vocations. Most often, these funds are distributed as represented below:
5% 10% 10% 10%
CAMPUS BEAUTIFICATION CSP MINISTRY LEADERSHIP & CAREER DEVELOPMENT DIVERSITY PROGRAMMING
20% CAPITAL PROJECTS
45%
SCHOLARSHIPS
DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT! DESPITE THE CHALLENGES OF THE PAST YEAR, CSP students, faculty and staff have worked hard to perse-
vere and make the most of this academic year. Financial support from the CSP community has played a huge role in our ability to react and adjust to the changing environment and has allowed us to support our students in their educational journey. To continue the momentum and end this fiscal year strong, a loyal supporter of CSP has offered to match all gifts to the Opportunity Fund dollar-for-dollar up to $50,000 through June 30. Your doubled gift will help us plan ahead to ensure students in the classroom and online have an incredible 2021-22 academic year.
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CSP MAGAZINE
TO DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT TODAY, VISIT: ONE.CSP.EDU/GIFTMATCH
IMPACT GENERATIONS TO COME THROUGH YOUR PLANNED GIFT CONCORDIA ALUMNUS HONORS CLASSMATE WITH LEGACY GIFT SOMETIMES, THE BEST WAY TO MAKE AN IMPACT AT CSP is through the gifts
you leave behind. Bill Irwin, BA 73, has supported CSP students through annual contributions and recently decided to leave his legacy through a planned estate gift. During Bill’s first two years at Concordia, he lived off campus and wasn’t connected to university life. He was six years older than his classmates; he served in Vietnam, worked full time, got married and had a daughter, and completed freshman year elsewhere before transferring to Concordia in 1970. Before Bill’s senior year, his wife asked for a divorce. He was devastated and considered dropping out. But Herb Treichel, then Concordia’s dean of men, convinced him to stay and helped him get a job as a resident assistant. “I was depressed and the guys in the dorm became my friends and support system,” Bill says. “My grades slipped, but the faculty was very considerate. I started that year not strongly connected to Concordia, but by the end, I was deeply connected.” At his five-year reunion, Bill learned some disturbing news. Just weeks earlier, classmate David Aasved had graduated from Concordia
Seminary and was driving to California for his ordination when he was brutally murdered. To honor the memory of their friend and classmate, Bill and his peers decided to start the David Aasved Scholarship Endowment to benefit Concordia students pursuing full-time church work. As an endowment, the fund is invested, and a set percentage of the proceeds each year are used for the scholarships. Since it was established, Bill has contributed annually to the endowment. But he wanted to make a larger impact, so he adjusted his will to also provide a gift to the endowment when he passes away. The endowment currently has a balance of $75,000, which sets it up to support students for many years to come. The David Aasved Scholarship Endowment is an enormous blessing to Concordia St. Paul, and will leave a lasting legacy in the lives of many, both the church workers it supports and the lives those workers will touch in their ministries. “I want to help Concordia prepare students for a career in the church,” Bill says. “Supporting a scholarship in David’s memory is one way of doing that.”
Office of University Advancement Staff M AR K H IL L
Vice President of University Advancement M AR CY CH E E SE M AN
Associate Vice President for Development R H ON D A (B E H M ) PAL M E R S H E I M , B A ‘ 8 8
Associate Vice President for Alumni & Constituent Relations M ICH AE L CL AUD E
Donor Relations Associate D R . B R UCE COR R IE
Assistant Vice President for Government & Community Relations P E TE R F E R RY
Development Officer SAR AH GL AD
Alumni Relations Associate AL ISON H OP E
Director of Prospect Development TJ M CD AN IE L
Assistant Athletic Director - Advancement J ON ATH AN N IE B E R GAL L , BA ‘ 9 2 , M BA ‘ 1 8
Development Officer
AM AN D A (OCH ) PAD UL A, BA ‘ 1 4 , M BA ‘ 1 7
Director of Sustainable Giving — Bill and Dawn Irwin were married in 1980 and celebrated their 40th anniversary in 2020. Photos courtesy of Bill Irwin
STACI (CH R ISTE N SE N ) P O O L E , B A ‘ 0 9
Director of Donor Relations
B IL LY SCH ULTZ , B A ‘08, M A ‘ 1 1
Assistant to the Executive Team M ATTH E W STE IN E R
HONOR WHAT MATTERS TO YOU
Contributing to an endowment through your estate is a heartfelt way to honor someone important to you. Contact Matt Steiner at (651) 641-8243 or steiner@csp.edu for more details, or visit csp.planmygift.org.
Gift Planning Counselor K AL E IGH WALTE R
Development Officer J AN E (M USSE L L ) W IL K E , BA ‘ 7 5
Director of Church Relations
SUMMER 2021
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PAID
PERMIT NO. 1341 TWIN CITIES, MN
1282 Concordia Ave St. Paul, MN 55104
2021 OctoberCONCORDIA 8 – 10 ST. PAUL OCTOBER 8–10 Concordia St. Paul
ONE.CSP.EDU/HOMECOMING2021 ONE.CSP.EDU/HOMECOMING2021
