Concordia St. Paul Magazine Summer 2023

CONCORDIA ST. PAUL MAGAZINE SUMMER 2023

The Power of

A Vision for This Place

Page 4

A Place for Global Opportunities

Page 6

A Place to Engage in the Community

Page 12

IN THIS ISSUE

Commencement

16

Spring Highlights

A Vision for This Place

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY, ST. PAUL 1282 Concordia Ave

St. Paul, MN 55104

(651) 641-8810

1(866) GROW-CSP one.csp.edu

@concordiastpaul @concordiastpaulalumni

A Place for Global Opportunities

A Place for Reconciliation and Renewal

publisher

Office of University Advancement editor

Billy Schultz, BA ‘08, MA ‘11

editorial board

Dr. Colleen Arendt

Drew Deas

Chris Eilitz, MA ‘03

Dr. Oluwatoyin Akinde Fakuajo

Loc Luong, BA ‘17

Rhonda (Behm) Palmersheim, BA ‘88

design and layout

Upswing Creative St. Paul, Minn.

printing

Ideal Printers Inc. St. Paul, Minn.

A Place to Listen and Learn

A Place to Serve and Protect Alumni Notes

A Place to Engage in the Community Then & Now

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.

Advancement

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.

© 2023 Concordia University, St. Paul

Dear Readers,

Summer is once again here after another fabulous academic year at Concordia University, St. Paul. But our work of preparing students for life and career doesn’t stop. With year round classes and programs, students on campus working summer jobs, and numerous construction and renovation projects, life at CSP is busy!

When I was an undergraduate student at CSP, I went home to the Chicago suburbs for the summer to work and spend time with family and friends. Even though I had plenty of fun at home, a part of me was always still at CSP. This place, as it turns out, had become my home, and fifteen years after finishing undergrad, still is.

Under the theme “The Power of Place,” this issue of the Concordia St. Paul magazine explores multiple aspects of that word place and how it intersects with the lives and experiences of those who have been part of this community. Place, of course, can be a physical space where something is or happens. But it can also refer to a sense of purpose and meaning.

The “Power of Place” at CSP is that we provide a place, tangible or intangible, for students to learn, grow, explore, serve, lead, and prepare for whatever steps they take in their lives and careers and the places and people they will encounter on their lives’ journeys. The place isn’t just confined to our main campus in St. Paul, but extends to Portland and around the world, wherever our students, alumni, faculty, staff, and donors are.

Education that is holistic and Christ-centered has the power to change lives, transform families, invigorate communities, and inspire hope. And so we continue our work to ensure that CSP is a place where students can access a high-quality education, aspire to live out their callings, and then achieve all of their goals, hopes, and dreams.

Many Blessings,

Billy Schultz, BA '08, MA '11 Editor

Concordia conferred degrees to nearly 750 graduating students at our May 2023 commencement ceremonies in St. Paul and Portland. Congratulations to these newest members of the Concordia St. Paul Alumni Association!

Photos: Concordia University Marketing & Communications

This spring semester, our students served, researched, worshiped, learned, and celebrated achievements.

Students present their research at the Minnesota State Capitol.

Students, employees, and alumni gathered on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day for service projects throughout the Twin Cities.

Arika

celebrates her NCAA Indoor Track & Field National Championship in the high jump.

Students worship in chapel.

Harbo

Arika Harbo (L) and Davaris Cheeks (C) talk about CSPday with livestream host Jake Wakem (R).

Jakob Tordsen celebrates his NCAA Indoor Track & Field National Championship in the heptathlon.

A Vision for This Place

Concordia’s third president, Rev. Dr. William Poehler, envisioned that the college might better reflect the increasingly diverse community around it. In 1968, CSP launched the Metropolitan Teacher Education Preparation Selection (MTEPS), which was designed to prepare students of color as educators in local public schools. Rev. David Hill, BA ’71 was part of the first MTEPS cohort and shared his story in an oral history recorded by Dr. Paul Hillmer, BA ‘83, professor of history.

David shares what he experienced first stepping onto campus:

"I remember taking my stuff to the dorm, and on my way back to get some of my stuff that I had left, a tall white youth approached me, and he said, ‘Hi, my name is Darrell, and I’m from Frederick, South Dakota. I have seen black people on TV, but I have never met one in person, and I want to meet you.’ And so I looked at him, and I was about to tell him to shove off, but then I changed my mind and said, ‘OK. Let’s go someplace and have a Coke.’

And so that’s what we did. We went to the student canteen, had a Coke, and we sat there and talked for about an hour and a half…To this day we stay in contact with each other all the time.

There were some [students] who were open to having black students on campus, and there were quite a few that were not. But since we didn’t bother them, they didn’t bother us kind of situation. "

MTEPS students and faculty plan an upcoming event.

After the launch of the MTEPS program, an independent Lutheran newspaper published an offensive article about the program which caused a stir amongst the CSP community, especially the MTEPS students. Here is how the students responded:

"…[T]he article just basically said, ‘Concordia’s going downhill. They are recruiting minority students who are D and F students from other places, and they’ll never make it.’

So, Brenda [Alston, BA ‘71] and I were given the job of going and talking to Dr. Poehler, who was the president at that time…what he told us was, ‘I can’t do anything about that article, about what people say. This is a university. This school is going to become a multicultural school, that’s my goal. And I don’t want you to allow anything like that to bother you or inhibit you from getting a good education here. And that’s all I need to say is we support you. Regardless of anything else that happens outside this campus or on this campus, we support you here.’ "

With the support of Poehler and the CSP administration, David and Brenda had an idea: not only would they succeed in getting good grades, but they would also work to complete their degrees in three years. David describes their strategy:

And so Brenda and I left and went downstairs where the other students were still sitting on the stoop and around, and we told them, ‘In order for us to change that attitude, why don’t we just show them that we are not D and F students? Let’s be good students...And I know that we had sat down with Maurice Britts, who recruited us, and talked to him about how that would happen. I know that we went to all of the classes and divvied classes up to see what we would have to take each quarter to pull this off.

In 1971, four MTEPS students, including David, achieved that goal and graduated in three years. David reflects on Poehler’s impact on CSP serving a diverse student body:

What I respect is the fact that what Dr. Poehler started came through to fruition…and each president that came after kept that fire burning, kept that fire burning.

Around the same time the college launched MTEPS, CSP made the decision to remain in the Lex-Ham community, rather than move out of the city as other local institutions had done. The success of the MTEPS program enabled CSP to establish the Southeast Asian Teacher Program in 1998, which provided pathways for Hmong students to become licensed educators. These and other efforts to foster an ethnically diverse student population have resulted in CSP fulfilling Poehler’s bold vision.

Interview: Courtesy of Dr. Paul Hillmer

Photos: Concordia St. Paul Archives

MTEPS students Myrna L. (Fisher) James, BA '72 and Brenda (Fisher) Barrett, BA '81 practice their teaching skills.

MTEPS student Annette (Ross) Sieling, BA '73 ponders her work in the Fundamentals of Design course.

A Place for Global Opportunities

The concept of higher education throughout history has been intimately tied to a physical campus location with places and spaces for students to learn, study, and fellowship with peers. Now with widely-available internet access and online degree programs, higher education can happen anywhere a student can access the internet, from St. Paul, Minn. to São Paulo, Brazil, from Portland, Ore. to Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Concordia St. Paul’s history of online education can be traced back to the early 1990s, when the college’s Concordia School of Adult Learning (CSAL) program held undergraduate degree programs at sites other than the St. Paul campus, such as Duluth and Rochester. Then, by the late 1990s, online classes and programs were offered, opening up a Concordia St. Paul education to students around the world.

The accessibility fostered by online and non-traditional programs has spurred tremendous growth in the number of students Concordia serves, especially in the past two decades. Since the advent of online education, Concordia has grown from serving 1,500 students to more than 5,500 students. Adult undergraduate and graduate students now comprise more than 70% of the student population.

In January 2023, Concordia unveiled the next iteration of the university’s structure, which is designed to foster enrollment growth to 2030 and beyond. The university introduced a newly branded division, CSP Global, which will be home to Concordia St. Paul’s proven online and hybrid undergraduate and graduate degree programs in St. Paul and Portland. At the same time, the physical Concordia University campus in St. Paul remains the vibrant hub for the university’s traditional four-year undergraduate programming, as it has for 130 years.

CSP Global launches with more than 40 career-focused degree programs, including undergraduate and graduate offerings. This new alignment brings greater clarity to how various degree programs are delivered. It also provides an even greater ability to support and invest in the traditional undergraduate programs for students at the Concordia St. Paul campus. By housing the online and hybrid programs geared for non-traditional students within CSP Global, the university can sharpen its focus on enrollment growth via online programs that are accessible regionally, nationally, and internationally.

“This introduction of CSP Global is the smart, logical next step in our university’s long-term growth, while further strengthening our traditional on-campus presence for decades to come,” said Provost and COO Eric LaMott. “CSP Global brings our student-centered, careerpropelling private university degree programs to a broader national and international audience. We have set our sights on doubling enrollment again by 2030.”

A degree earned through CSP Global carries with it the full value and benefits of a Concordia St. Paul education. With fully accredited degree programs designed around the needs of today’s businesses and organizations, CSP Global graduates emerge as top choices for businesses and institutions nationally and worldwide.

“Professionals with a Concordia St. Paul degree earn, on average, more than their peers from most other universities,” added LaMott. “Our online programs now reach students in all fifty states and more than 40 countries around the world. Career-relevant degree programs via CSP Global prepare students for careers in business, technology, health sciences, nursing, education and other high-growth, highpotential fields.”

“CSP Global is intimately tied to our identity as a Christ-centered Lutheran university and is committed to meeting the spiritual, academic, professional, and personal needs of each student,” said President Brian Friedrich. “We seek to form service-driven leaders who address challenges and opportunities in this world with wisdom, compassion, and grace.”

Story: Joe Thornton BA '05, VP of Strategic Communications for Aimclear; contributions by Billy Schultz, BA ‘08, MA ‘11, Assistant to the President for Communications Photos: Concordia University Marketing

A Place for Reconciliation and Renewal

To cap off the university’s Black History Month celebration, the Concordia University, St. Paul music program hosted and led a collaborative Black History Month concert titled “A Rondo Reconciliation and Renewal Concert.” This event brought the CSP choral program and string ensemble together with community partners—including Walker West Music Academy, Mount Olivet Missionary Baptist Church, NUNNABOVE, 29:11 from South Africa, and others—in weekly rehearsals throughout January and February that not only refined their joint music, but built relationships and understanding among the participants.

This experience can be described as bathed in prayer, executed in love, and sealed with hope regarding the care of God’s creation. This gathering that took place on the campus of CSP was a tangible, and picturesque depiction of compassion in action accompanied by a heightened regard for humanity.

During this special event, envisioned and spearheaded by Professor of Music Dr. David Mennicke, the arms of CSP reached deeply into the community to welcome all to a place where scripture, music, and words intermingled to shed light on needed societal changes. The concert included a panel discussion at intermission which featured retired St. Paul Police sergeant Melvin Carter Jr., Ramsey County Attorney John Choi, and Director of the Emmitt Till Legacy Foundation, Deborah Watts. Dr. Cheryl Chatman, retired Executive Vice President and Dean of Diversity at CSP, moderated the panel. Attendees were challenged to be agents of positive change in society and intentionally employ efforts to usher in justice, equity, and equality for all. What a blessing, indeed!

“The most profound part of the experience was the visual of the audience. The optics of capturing people from all walks of life in the community, celebrating together, was very healing,” said Carl Clomon, ‘23, a CSP student who serves as minister of music at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church and music director of the Amazing Grace Chorus. “From the music of all the performers to the presenters of the panel discussion, my life was made more rich and meaningful with this event.”

The journey to this gathering, as well as that unto reconciliation, was and still is joyous, cathartic, and enlightening. This was more than a concert; it was an opportunity for self-examination, authentic connections, and an unveiling of blissful vulnerability that unified attendees.

“...[A]nd this was what the music did. It allowed us all to be authentic, to be vulnerable with each other, to explore these emotions, these issues, and to do it in a way where we develop relationships,” explained Mennicke. “And then we have this shared experience, which is something that can be built on.”

The trauma experienced by the Black community and the resiliency to overcome by the blood of the Lamb and our testimony was experienced vicariously through song. And thus, we have an evening that left an indelible mark on the conscience of those whose ears bore witness to that which was shared.

Story: Aqueelah Roberson, Director of the Cheryl T. Chatman Diversity Center

Photos: Linda Hipp, Benny Moreno, and Aqueelah Roberson

A Place to Serve and Protect

Melissa Chiodo, MA ‘10, first became interested in law enforcement at an early age thanks to the influence of her older brother who served in that field. Despite her initial interest in law enforcement, she decided to instead pursue a teaching career, eventually earning a bachelor’s degree in English and communication from the College of St.

Melissa and her daughter take a moment together during an Inver Grove Heights community event.

At the time of her graduation, however, Chiodo wasn’t sure what path to take. She came across an opportunity with the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) specifically for people with four-year degrees who were interested in training to become police officers. Thus she began a career in law enforcement spanning nearly three decades.

For 23 years, Chiodo served in Minneapolis, first as a beat officer and a patrol officer. She remembers fondly the relationships she developed on a daily basis as a beat officer, first in Loring Park and then in the Cedar-Riverside community. “[T]hat was great because you really got to know your community when you focused in one area. You'd meet with businesses, you'd meet with residents in apartment complexes and schools,” she recalls.

Encouraged by mentors, Chiodo decided to pursue a master’s degree in criminal justice, and a colleague recommended she explore what Concordia University, St. Paul had to offer. The experience renewed her vocation as a police officer. “[It] made me focus on me, and why do I want to do this job, and how am I going to lead…I think I walked away [from CSP] a better, stronger person, recommitted to why I'm doing this job because of my education there,” she reflects.

Throughout her time with MPD, Chiodo earned promotions to sergeant, lieutenant, and then commander, serving in various roles within precincts, including overseeing divisions like sex crimes, narcotics, and arson, as well as overseeing internal affairs. Chiodo spent her final years at the MPD focusing on the planning and safety for the 2018 Super Bowl and 2019 NCAA Final Four held at US Bank Stadium.

In 2019, Chiodo was named Police Chief for the city of Inver Grove Heights, Minn., a 35,000-resident suburb of St. Paul. Despite her added responsibilities as police chief—“I never thought I'd ever have to deal with budgets in a police department,” she jokes—she brings the same attention to the community she serves as she did back in her beat officer days, and encourages her officers to do the same, whether in short encounters such as traffic stops or longer-term relationships with resident and business owners.

“You know you're not just working there, but you're part of [the community],” Chiodo observes. “You're part of making it a better place for [residents]. I can't imagine being able to work somewhere and making any difference if you don't establish that connection.”

Story: Billy Schultz, BA ‘08, MA ‘11, Assistant to the President for Communications

Photos: Courtesy of Melissa Chiodo

Melissa and her husband celebrate her MA graduation in 2010.

Melissa is proud to work alongside and lead her colleagues.

A Place to Engage in the Community

Woven into Concordia University, St. Paul’s identity as a Christian university is a commitment to serving others. “We are proud to be a dynamic, multicultural, missionminded university that prepares students to serve God and humanity,” says Associate Vice President of Faith & Ministry, Rev. Dr. Mark Koschmann.

One of the ways students live the University’s mission during their time at CSP is through service learning. Service learning takes many forms at CSP, from local service projects to international service trips, but the common thread is providing experiential learning through service, helping students expand their perspectives while in service to others. “These real-world service experiences shape our students in an unparalleled way [as they] are provided with hands-on experiences and mentoring where they learn from local organizations on how to best serve local neighborhoods,” Koschman shares.

Kelly Matthias, director of the Center for Student Engagement, shares how service learning benefits CSP students. “Serving expands our students' worldview and perspective by providing new experiences in the real world outside of the classroom,” she says.

Matthias and her team incorporate such opportunities for students to serve others from the time they start at CSP. Beginning with Welcome Weekend and continuing throughout the First Year Seminar, traditional students start their journey at CSP engaging in the community through service projects. Throughout the year, the Center for Student Engagement and other departments offer additional service learning projects and trips for the university community.

The list of service learning opportunities during the 2022-2023 academic year has been wide-ranging. During Hunger and Homelessness Week in November, students in St. Paul worked to address hunger in partnership with three local organizations. In January, CSP students, employees, and alumni served together during the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service at four local non-profits. This spring, nursing students from the St. Paul and Portland campuses traveled to Guatemala to run medical checks on children in local elementary schools. Doctor of Physical Therapy students also went to Guatemala to serve and earn clinical hours. Other students from St. Paul spent their spring break doing hurricane recovery work in Florida.

The thousands of hours that CSP students spend volunteering each year impacts the lives of countless individuals. Kailez Campbell, a freshman at CSP, says that “service learning is a way to advocate for those who might not have a voice.”

Advocating for those who don’t always have a voice is an area with which Campbell is quite familiar. As the recipient of this year’s CSP’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Student Leadership Award, Campbell models the many ways CSP students engage in the community, both on and off campus. Recently, she testified at the Minnesota State Capitol, supporting bills aimed at bettering the community, such as an anti-bullying bill and a measure allowing 16 and 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote. Matthias praises Campbell as “an exceptional student leader who proactively seeks out opportunities to make a difference in the world and to ensure that her voice is heard.”

Harnessing the time in college to promote good in the community is something CSP prioritizes for its students. This ethos resonates with Campbell as she reflects on receiving her award, to her a “powerful reminder of the impact we can all make when we come together to serve others.”

Story: Evan Galchutt, ‘24

Photos: Kailez Campbell and Dr. Bruce Corrie, professor of economics, Concordia University Marketing & Communications

A Place to Listen and Learn

For many students, internships provide invaluable learning opportunities that tie academics to real-world experience. Internships allow students to hone their skills and explore various career pathways.

One Concordia University, St. Paul student benefitting from an internship is junior psychology major Cole Steinberg, ‘24. Originally, he wanted to pursue a career in clinical psychology, but has switched his focus to pursuing a legal career and would like to attend law school following graduation.

Cole prepares for class in the Commuter Lounge on CSP's St. Paul campus.

Steinberg found an impactful internship to help him develop skills for his future career thanks to Dr. Julie Luker, assistant professor of psychology at CSP. As part of her own professional research and personal interests, Luker embarked on a project to conduct oral histories of baby boomers who grew up in neighborhoods across the Twin Cities to compare the experiences interviewees had in different neighborhoods. “I wanted to capture a story,” she explains.

Luker enlisted the help of student volunteers and interns to develop the interview questions, conduct interviews, and transcribe the interviews, introducing valuable learning experiences to these students. “They are able to have direct experience actually doing research,” she says. “You're not just talking about it, but I’m actually assigning them things to do.”

Steinberg ended up conducting and transcribing approximately 60 interviews. He sees his involvement in the oral history project as a great way to improve the research skills he has acquired at CSP and put them to use in a real-world setting. “It helped me to really hone my listening skills,” he shares. “I learned to be a little bit more creative thinking on my feet with people who were hesitant to respond, or it was really hard to get them going. I just had to go outside the script a little bit, and whatever they're willing to elaborate on, I would feed into that, really let them expand on it.”

Ultimately, Steinberg says that the best part of his experience was fostering connections with community members. “I had people get really emotional, and that was really cool because I was watching people rediscover their childhood or their origins,” he shares. “Sometimes it was just real raw emotion.”

Luker’s work on this oral history project is far from finished. She envisions interviewing individuals from other generations to compare experiences across generational divides as well as different neighborhoods, as well as deeper analysis of the themes found within the interviews and possible presentations on the research. This work will include more students who can engage in real-world listening and learning experiences as they prepare to pursue their professional endeavors.

Story: Frank Lien, ‘23

Photos: MPLS Films, Glenn Hansen, Tony L and Javier Quiroga

The Opportunity Fund allows CSP to address the area of greatest need for our students. It 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. While the distribution of Opportunity Fund gifts varies from year to year, below is a representation of how the funds were distributed in fiscal year 2023.

CAPITAL PROJECTS

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

DIVERSITY PROGRAMMING

5% 5%

10%

60% 20%

CSP MINISTRY

STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS

Meeting Students' Needs

Finances are often a barrier for those pursuing a college degree. At Concordia St. Paul, 36% of undergraduate students receive federal Pell Grants and 22% receive aid from the Minnesota State Grant program due to their financial need. Each year, CSP students spend a day at the Minnesota State Capitol, where they meet with legislators to emphasize the importance of the Minnesota State Grant program and the role it plays in a student’s access to higher education.

While these grants are crucial, many students with high financial need rely on financial support from other sources. CSP institutional

aid, in the form of scholarships, goes a long way to fill these gaps. At Concordia, 91% of traditional undergraduate students and 17% of nontraditional undergraduate students receive institutional aid, which is funded in part by donors. These scholarships are crucial in making a college degree possible for students and reducing indebtedness after graduation. In fact, CSP undergraduates have some of the lowest average debt loads among private institutions in Minnesota. By contributing to the Opportunity Fund, our donors open doors for our students to pursue dreams that may otherwise go unrealized.

Have Your Gift Matched

The generosity of our alumni and friends makes a meaningful difference in the lives of our students. Your gift to the Opportunity Fund ensures more CSP students can reach their goals, and, better yet, when you make a gift by June 30, you make twice the impact! Your doubled gift will open doors for more students to have an incredible 2023-2024 academic year.

CSP students, accompanied by President Brian Friedrich and Loc Luong, Assistant Director of Activities and Engagement, shared with legislators the impact state grants have had on their educational experiences on March 14, 2023. (Photo: Dr. Bruce Corrie)

160 Champions

8 2

Gift Matches Met

29 $

48 States Represented

“Thank you! I am incredibly grateful for the inspiring generosity you show to CSP students! Thank you for making CSPday a resounding success. As you invest in our students, you empower them to achieve their goals and live out their callings for life and career. I thank and praise God for you!”

Brian L. Friedrich President

A Place for Generations to Come

Through their philanthropic support, Rev. Jim, AA '61 and Karen Laatsch are committed to ensuring that Concordia University, St. Paul is able to serve students in this place for generations to come. “I had a great experience at CSP,” Jim says. “My feeling is if CSP can do that for a poor, shy kid, in the pre-pastoral program, they have education figured out pretty well.”

Karen remarks that as she’s learned more about CSP, she sees a number of appealing qualities, including “CSP’s determination to live and teach from a Lutheran faith perspective, [a] very desirable location close to a metropolitan area, [and the University’s] efforts to reach out to and attract students from diverse cultures and backgrounds.”

Jim and Karen have committed to a blended gift in support of CSP students. A blended gift is a commitment to a specific total gift amount, given in cash and other assets during a donor’s lifetime.

"For many their most significant gift will be made through their estate,” adds Vice President of University Advancement Mark Hill. “However, by giving a portion during our lifetime from assets such as stocks, mutual funds, gifts from our IRA account, cryptocurrency, and grants from our donor-advised funds, we can experience the joy of giving and witness the immediate impact of our gift while celebrating the creation of a lasting legacy."

Donors may choose to designate their blended gift however they wish. For Jim and Karen, contributing to Concordia’s endowment ensures they can make an impact far beyond their lifetime.

“I tend to think in the long term when making a significant gift,” Karen shares. “I like the idea of a gift that keeps on giving.”

Blended Gift Options

Alumni Notes

Submitted between October 13, 2022 and March 28, 2023

IN MEMORY

1950s

Marvin Blaske, JC '51 passed away on September 12, 2022.

Russell Howen, JC '52 passed away on October 21, 2022.

Henry Mueller, HS '53, JC '55 passed away on December 30, 2022.

Martin Marquardt, JC '54 passed away on October 14, 2022.

Daniel Zielske, HS '54, JC '56 passed away on October 30, 2022.

Mertice (Spaude) Brueske, JC '55 passed away on January 30, 2023.

Craig Bucher, HS '55 passed away on August 26, 2022.

Judith (Ott) Meyer, JC '59 passed away on November 26, 2022.

Donna (Demm) Zachow, JC '59 passed away on November 12, 2022.

Alumni Notes are submitted by alumni and friends of Concordia University, St. Paul and are not guaranteed to represent the views, beliefs, or endorsement of the University. Notes may be edited for content or clarity.

1960s

Owen Johnson, HS '61 passed away on June 11, 2022.

Ronald Prigge, BA '65 passed away on November 24, 2022.

Barrie Henke, BA '69 passed away on March 1, 2023.

Mary Powell, BA '69 passed away on January 26, 2023.

1970s

Ward Maser, BA '79 passed away on February 12, 2023. Ward is a member of the CSP Athletic Hall of Fame.

1980s

Laurel (Grefe) Engquist, BA '80 passed away on February 24, 2023.

June Peterson, BA '82 passed away on November 8, 2022.

1990s

Carol Klepper, BA '99 passed away on February 5, 2022.

ADOPTION/BIRTH 2000s

Andy, BA'09 and Jayme (Anderson), BA '10 Wyss welcomed Wyatt to their family via adoption in February 2023.

Garduah Cole, MBA '22 welcomed another daughter.

2010s

Kailan, BA '14 and his wife Esmee Boston have three boys and are proud of the foundation CSP has provided for their lives.

Cassy Hanson, MA '22 welcomed a baby boy in January 2023.

CAREER

1960s

Darrell, AA '69 and Terri Kobs are both retired and enjoying their four grandchildren as they await another grandbaby in June 2023.

1970s

Lydia (Hook), BA '16 and Todd, BA '15 Janka , welcomed a son into their family on July 12, 2022.

Pamela Wiederkehr, BA '76 retired in December 2022 after playing the organ and directing the choir at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Enid, Okla. for 35 years.

Katie Peterson, LIC '19, MAEd '20 got married in April 2021 and gave birth to a baby boy in October 2022.

Joel Schuldheisz, BA '78 was ordained and installed into the LCMS Ministry on December 11, 2022 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Tacoma, Wash.

Scott Larson, BA '79 has accepted the position of Executive Director of the Transforming Age Foundation. Scott retired from ordained ministry in May 2023, having served a Lutheran church part-time for the past six years while serving as the Director of Development for the Eastmont Foundation in Lincoln, Neb. He and his wife, Carla, will continue to reside in Lincoln.

2020s

Ellie Wierzgacz, BA '21 welcomed twin boys to the world in December of 2022.

1980s

Aaron Kubasch, BA '84 has worked in his family's excavating business since graduation. Recently he and his family decided it was time to move on. He is now looking to do something different for a few years before he fully retires.

1990s

Thomas Langemo, BA '96 has accepted a position as Director of People M&A - Strategic Transitions and Readiness with UnitedHealth Group.

2000s

Jessie (Barnum) Alexander, BA '02 works as Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at Stanford University. She married Randy Alexander in July 2016. They have two amazing daughters and recently moved to the San Francisco Bay Area.

Stacy Larsen, BA '05 was installed as Preschool Director and Teacher at Trinity Lutheran in Fergus Falls, Minn. on December 11, 2022.

Dr. Michael Brooks, Jr., BA '08 has been named one of the 2023 40 Under 40 by Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. He is now the Dental Director at NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center. (Photo courtesy of Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal)

Hannah Jones, BA '22 has started the Master of Organizational Leadership program at St. Catherine University.

ENGAGEMENTS/ MARRIAGES/ ANNIVERSARIES

1950s

Theodore, HS '55, JC '57 and Elaine Strelow recently celebrated their 55th anniversary.

Marilyn (Stein) Weiser, JC '62 shares that she gets together every year with friends to celebrate their CSP connections and memories. Back row: Marilyn (Stein) Weiser, JC '62, Brenda (Behlings) Schmidt, JC '62, Barb (Krueger) Fallert, BA '65, Judy (Doumont) Adams, JC '62. Front row: Audrey (Buntrock) Paepke, JC '62, Darlene (Mews) Wood, JC '61, Julie (Sellheim) Quisenberry, JC '62

1970s

Linnette (Shumacher)

Thomason, BA '73 continues to be active at Mt. Calvary, substitute teaching when needed, attending Bible study, and being on the Outreach Committee. She has nine grandchildren that keep her busy and young at heart!

Candice Bicondoa, BA '06, MA '09 accepted an administrator position at St. Paul's Lutheran beginning 2022-2023 school year. She taught full time the previous 16 years at two other Lutheran schools.

Leah Martin, BA '07, MA '14 was promoted to Director of Marketing Partnerships within the new CSP Global division. She's excited to help support the launch and growth of CSP Global, with the goal of doubling enrollment by 2030.

Geoffrey Bullock, MBA '09 is the new CEO of Harborstone Credit Union in Tacoma, Wash.

2010s

Nicole (Axt) Smith, BA '13 was promoted to Rating Veteran Service Officer, Department of Veteran Affairs, in December 2022.

Laura Widman, BA '19 recently accepted a position as Senior Implementation Integration Specialist on the financial team at Procore, a large construction management software company.

2010s

Anna Dauffenbach, BA '15 married Grant Gemar on November 4, 2022 in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where they reside.

Delores (Ulrich) Kading, BA '66 wrote the book "A Hope and a Future", published by Inscript (Dove Christian Publishers). It is available at Dove (www. dovechristianpublishers.com), Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

OTHER

2020s

Karlajean Becvar, MFA '20 is now teaching two College in the Schools classes, with possibly a third next year.

Bria Knox, BA '21 was promoted from teacher to mentor teacher.

EDUCATION

2010s Matthew Loeslie, MA '11 earned a Doctor of Criminal Justice from Pennwest.

2020s

Elizabeth Miller, BA '22 is attending Mitchell Hamline School of Law.

1950s

Norita (Willner) Kath, AA '58 has joined fellow classmates Arlene (Rieppel) Anderson, AA ‘74, Joanne (Singstock) Luther, AA ‘58, Marilyn (Kruckenberg) Luebbe, AA ‘58, and Peggy (Walberg) Vance, BA ‘72 in a lifelong friendship. Following graduation, these alumnae created a round robin letter that lasted for 12 years. In 1970, they began meeting each summer in the home of one of the five and continue to this day.

1960s

Renelda (Gennrich) Lord, JC '60 shared that her son, Leonard Steffen, passed away on January 12, 2023, at the age of 55.

Kathy (Day) Freudenburg, BA '68 gathered in Waconia, Minn. for a four-day reunion with six girlfriends, all from the class of 1968. Lifelong friends pictured from left to right: Kathy (Rochester, Minn.), Cherice (Carrigan) Kuseske (Lake Elmo, Minn.), Dorothy (Wagner) Sutton (Sugar Hill, Ga.), Sally (Hoffman) Beckendorf (Carver, Minn.), Diane (Peter) Gerdts (Scottsdale, Ariz.), Kathy (Otto) Behnke (Readlyn, Iowa), and Donna (Schultz) Burman (Tucson, Ariz.)

2000s

Debora (Willing), BA ‘08 and Mike Stark celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary and traveled to Alaska in 2022, which will mean Deb has traveled to all 50 states.

2020s

Ryan Skille, BA '22 plays gigs around Minneapolis and St. Paul as part of a band with Ethan Langemo, BA '22 , Donovan Eidem, '23 , and Scott Ockwig, '23

Michael Houston Wins Teacher of the Year

Michael Houston, BA ‘04 was named the 2023 Minnesota Teacher of the Year on May 7, 2023. After earning a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education 5-12 with an emphasis in mathematics at CSP, Michael has served as a math teacher, coach, and department chair at Harding High School in St. Paul over the course of his career. “I found that I am more than just a teacher. I am a parental figure, a role model, a mentor, an advisor, and coach,” he says.

Along with his career at Harding, Michael also remains connected to CSP as a faculty member in the math department. As a CSP alum, Michael believes that his time at Concordia helped him realize his career goals and aspirations. “The small environment that Concordia offers allowed me to connect intimately with professors and classmates, which I feel spearheaded my personal and professional development,” he reflects.

Having been nominated for the Teacher of the Year award a second time, Michael reflects on his journey thus far. “It’s surreal to think about my journey as a young man who barely graduated high school who grew into a veteran teacher who is now being considered for one of the most prestigious awards in teaching,” he shares. “I believe my dedication in the classroom, service to my students in and out of the classroom, professional relationships, and leadership has led me to this point in my career.”

Story: Concordia University Marketing & Communications

Photos: Courtesy of Education Minnesota

Alumni Making a Difference recognizes alumni who live out Concordia’s mission and vision through acts of service, innovation, or outstanding leadership by using their talents and vocations in ways that positively impact the lives of others. Alumni can be recognized for contributions made over time or for individual projects.

Recent recipients include:

Susan (Peters) Blom, BA '73

Laura Burr, MBA '19

Karla (Boettcher) Lyngstad, '76

Chanda Smith-Baker, MA '09

Dorothy (Wagner) Sutton, BA '68

To view recipient bios and to submit a nomination, please visit one.cps.edu/makingadifference or scan the QR code.

Over the years, Concordia St. Paul has changed, yet the university remains a place where students discover and engage their purpose for life and career.

Band

Chapel Meyer Hall