TRANSFORMATION

Concordia Connection P O R T L A N D, O R E G O N • S U M M E R 2 0 0 8

ATeachable Moment

“Standing on the Shoulders of Giants” Sir Isaac Newton wrote to his rival scientist, Robert Hooke, the following great words: “If I have seen a little further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” As Concordia University looks toward its bright future this statement is most certainly true for it as well. It has been my honor to know and serve with outstanding individuals who provided the solid foundation and erected the edifice that we know as our university today. F. W. J. Sylwester, the founding president, Thomas Coates, our second president, E. P. Weber, our third president, and Chuck Schlimpert, our current president, all had one trait in common: the ability to attract and retain faculty and staff members who cared deeply for the students of Concordia, strove for excellence in academics, and lived a life befitting one who imitates Christ. For as Christ served the human race by humbling Himself to literally wash His disciples’ feet, people like Art Wahlers, Dick Reinisch, John Scheck, Hans Spalteholz, Frank Gebhard, Alma Dobberfuhl, Dale Fisk and, many others daily took on the role of “little Christs” that Luther suggested were an appropriate role for Jesus’ followers. As I view the campus today, bursting at the seams with eager students, I continue to marvel at how God has blessed this campus with faculty and staff members standing on the shoulders of those founding giants and faithfully serving the students of Concordia. Daily acts of caring are seen in every department. As a result, students are transformed for service themselves. Recently I was in an interview with a prospective full-time faculty member who had served for several years as an adjunct faculty member at Concordia and several other local colleges. I asked him to compare his experiences at those schools. He made a profound statement that reinforces my point. “All the colleges say they care for students,” he responded, “but Concordia really does.” Work has begun on our new library and learning center, which promises to transform the campus. New programs in music and nursing offer opportunities for different kinds of service. More students will arrive this fall to expand our rapidly increasing population. The excitement on campus is palpable. Through it all, as it has been for the past four decades I’ve been at Concordia, this common thread is retained: This is a place that demonstrates the love of Christ by serving its students well and actually caring what happens to each and every one of them.

Dr. Chuck Kunert, DeanCollege of Theology, Arts, & Sciences

Summer 2008 1

P O R T L A N D, O R E G O N • S U M M E R 2 0 0 8

Campus Life. New developments on and off campus with a law school on the horizon, the bookstore moving into the community, and a one-of-a-kind throw center making its' grand debut.

The Dream Becomes A Reality. Concordia, its' supporters, and the surrounding community celebrate together as the university breaks ground on the new George R. White Library and Learning Center.

Current Issues. See how a typical construction project has turned into an environmental and social manifestation of Concordia's mission.

Alumni Notes. More news and highlights of life after Concordia.

28 Navy & White. Catch up on the latest news from Concordia Athletics.

33 Nailed to the Door. Lutheran heritage drives Concordia's mission and a new project focused on the needs of the church in the northwest.

18

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S U M M E R 2 0 0 8

Concordia Connection is published twice per year by Concordia University in

Portland, Oregon.

Please address all correspondence to:

ConCordia ConneCtionATTN: Jeanie-Marie Price

Concordia University2811 NE Holman StreetPortland, Oregon 97211

or email: alumni@cu-portland.edu

editor:Jeanie-Marie Price

Contributing editor:Kassie Boehringer

art direCtor:Christine Dodge

graphiC designer:Katrina Dinges

editoriaL board:Kassie Boehringer, Andrea Bruno,

Steve DeKlotz, Christine Dodge, Jason Dormeyer, Johnnie Driessner,

Jeanie-Marie Price, Julie Rowland

16

Campus Life

2 concordia connection

Music Program Established Music and music ministry have a long and storied history at Concordia University. For decades students have sung God’s praises on campus, and spread the Word of God on the road, traveling the nation and the world. Starting this fall, Concordia continues this tradition by offering a Bachelor of Arts in music for students seeking to refine their musical talent in preparation for a rewarding career. Under the direction of Kurt Berentsen, chair of the Performing and Visual Arts department and director of Concordia’s choral program, the music program focuses on three areas of emphasis: music education, church ministry, and graduate school preparation. Concordia has a dynamic group of faculty members who provide instruction and mentorship

within the music department. Dr. William Kuhn recently joined Concordia University, Portland from Concordia University, Nebraska, where he served as director of Bands. Dr. Walter Krueger, a Lutheran music educator and a Fellow of the American Guild of Organists with over 35 years of professional experience, teaches organ and piano. Dr. Jacqueline Schmidt leads the String Ensembles and works with students studying the violin and viola. James Manuele teaches guitar; and Lisa Mooyman, Darlyn Jablonski, and Konstantin Kvach teach studio voice.

CU Moves Forward on Law School It is no secret that Concordia University has been considering adding a law school. Over the past year, administrative and board leadership have been busy gathering information, meeting with constituents, and managing the onslaught of positive attention associated with this initiative. All of this work came to fruition on Wednesday, July 16, when the Board of Regents voted to authorize the development of a law school program in Boise, Idaho, subject to the acquisition of startup capital and approval of a dean. Many are asking why a law school and why Boise. Because of our historic relationship with Idaho that includes students, alumni and

philanthropic contributors, Boise’s law and business community approached Concordia and shared the need for law education in the state’s capitol. This led the university to partner with Boise, regional and national Lutheran theologians, lawyers and legal educators to examine whether Concordia should establish a uniquely Lutheran law school and meet this need for Boise. The work they did is reflected in a white paper that can be read by going to www.concordialaw.com. From this work it became clear that the university’s mission to prepare leaders for the transformation of the communities in which they work and live would naturally extend into both law and the Boise market. The tremendous efforts in which the university has engaged in recent years to expand its role as a premier Lutheran university, compels the campus to look at stretching into new academic and geographic areas in ways that are consistent with the mission. The law school program will be focused on the preparation of lawyers and other legal professionals who are grounded in Concordia’s core values and who have a commitment to community service that fits our mission.

« August 13 100% of the first class of

nursing graduates passes the National Council Licensure

Examination (NCLEX). The average pass rate nationally is 88%.

August 24 »1,700 students,

the largest classin CU history, begin settling in on campus.

Campus Life

3Summer 2008

It is also a great opportunity to develop new private support from a city with which Concordia has a long-standing relationship. The funding needed to both establish and maintain this program will come from private sources in the Boise area – sources that have a vested interest in this program and several of whom would not otherwise make a large gift to Concordia. Track the progress at www.concordialaw.com.

Bookstore Steps Off Campus and Into Community As soon as classes ended for the summer, the Concordia University Bookstore packed up and moved out of the Mary Neils building and into the community. The new location of the bookstore is on the corner of NE 30th and Ainsworth, just two blocks from campus. The larger space features text books, Concordia merchandise, gifts, sundries, and a coffee cart managed by Sodexho Inc., Concordia’s food service provider. It features coffee by Sisters Coffee Company (read more about Sisters Coffee's connection to Concordia in the alumni notes section of this magazine).

On March 8, students from Concordia University won the 3rd Annual Ethics Bowl of the Oregon Independent College Foundation (OICF), defeating defending champion, Willamette University. Hosted this year by Lewis & Clark College, the 2008 OICF Ethics Bowl matched student teams from the OICF’s ten member colleges and universities in five rounds of case debates over a variety of contemporary ethical dilemmas. Teams of three to five students

were paired in head-to-head matches and judged by panels

of distinguished leaders from across the region. Students

grappled with real-world

ethical questions that challenged their thinking on issues such as: Is teaching to the test unethical or an effective way to ensure that school children are properly prepared with important facts that will help them in their academic careers and future life? Is it ethical to hold community voting in faith–based facilities (i.e., churches and schools)? Is it ethical for cell phone companies to offer a service to parents that tracks the location of their children at any given time? Concordia’s team was advised by Professor Michael Thomas ‘93. The champions were: Katy Lawson, Rocky Esposito, Adam Leyrer, Kristine Pugsley and Zach Saltz (pictured above).

« OctOber 24Lyceum Series lecture

features riveting survivors from the Dafur region.

« NOvember 2-5Concordia students

hosted the 2007 Beautiful Feet Conference with 200 participants

from all ten Concordia Universities across the nation.

NOvember 2 »The women’s soccer

team makes their seventh straight trip to the NAIA

National Championships.

Ethics Bowl ChampionsKaty Lawson; Kristine Pugsley; Adam Leyrer; Zach Saltz; Rocky Esposito

Campus Life

4 concordia connection

Concordia University Publishes Its First Book The Center for Volga German Studies at Concordia University has published its first book, Catherine. It is the first volume in the historical fiction trilogy The Volga Flows Forever. Written by Sigrid Weidenweber, author of Escaping the Twilight, Catherine follows the transformation of Princess Sophia

of Anhalt-Zwerbst into Catherine the Great of Russia. The forthcoming

second volume follows Vadim and Svetlana to the

German colonies along the lower Volga, and the lives of the

Meininger family and their friends who settled

in Norka and Schaffhausen. The third book explores the hardships of collectivization and deportation in the early Soviet years, and will finally reunite young Katharina with the Volga Germans who immigrated to the San Joaquin Valley of Central California. Volumes two and three are scheduled for release in December 2008 and April 2009 respectively. Born in Germany in 1941, Weidenweber remembers firsthand the horrific aftermath of fascism. At the end of the war, she found herself living under communism. Both of these totalitarian regimes left indelible marks. After the Berlin Wall was built, she finally escaped with the help of friends and a French passport. The Concordia University campus in Northeast Portland is in the same neighborhood where Portland’s Volga German settlement began in 1882. Concordia’s Center for Volga German Studies is the only one of its kind in the nation and supports research into and preservation of the heritage, history, traditions, and accomplishments of the

Volga Germans. The Center seeks knowledge and understanding of the relevance of Volga Germans yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Catherine retails for $29.95 (which includes shipping) and can be purchased at cvgs.cu-portland.edu. It can also be purchased in some retail outlets [ISBN(13)978-1-934961-00-1 or ISBN(10)1-934961-00-0].

Outstanding Teachers Join Concordia Faculty Last fall, Concordia welcomed three new faculty members to campus who will continue to serve students for the upcoming academic year. Dr. Erin A. Mueller serves as an associate professor of Psychology in the College of Theology, Arts & Sciences. She has a B.A. from the University of Northern Iowa, a Ph.D. from Brigham Young University, and is doing her post-doctoral residency at Oregon Health & Science University. Dr. Michele Klich Wayte and Dr. Wilson F. Zehr joined the School of Management. Wayte is an associate professor of Marketing. She earned her B.A. and Ph.D. from Purdue University, and her M.A. from DePaul University. Zehr, associate professor of Finance and Marketing, holds B.S., M.B.A., and Ph.D. degrees from Portland State University.

December 15 President E.P. Weber received an honorary doctorate from Concordia University on

his 90th birthday, as a part of the fall graduation ceremony.

JANuAry 13 » Dr. Steve Braun,

longtime Concordia business faculty member, is appointed the new Dean of the

School of Management.

« FebruAry 23The CU Choir joins with Pastor Derrick

Traylor and the Rehoboth World Healing Center Gospel Choir for “Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers – a celebration of African American

musical contributions”

Catherine author, Sigrid Weidenweber

Campus Life

5Summer 2008

Five new faculty members will join Concordia this fall. Dr. Lori Sanchez ‘94, M.Ed. ‘00 will serve as an associate professor for the College of Education. She is a Concordia University graduate and completed her doctoral work at George Fox University. Dr. William Kuhn will join the faculty of Concordia’s new music program as a full professor. For the past 15 years, he was an associate professor of music at CU-Nebraska. Dr. Joel Davis will join the College of Theology, Arts & Sciences faculty as an assistant professor of History, taking the position previously held by JD Wyneken. Davis recently completed his doctorate at the University of Missouri and taught at Saint Louis University in Missouri. Ronald Miolla, M.B.A. will take a more permanent role in the School of Management where he has been an adjunct instructor since 2003. He will begin as an associate professor of Finance and Accounting, and comes with an extensive background in the field. At time of publication, the office of the Provost expected to add three additional faculty members. Those individuals will be announced in the next edition of this magazine.

This May, 45 Concordia students, alumni, faculty, and friends of the university traveled to Italy and Sicily (Venice, Florence, Assisi, Sorrento, Island of Capri, Taormina in Sicily, Mt. Etna, Palermo, Pompeii, and Rome) for a historical tour led by alumnus and faculty member, Michael Thomas '93. Since a picture is worth 1,000 words, here are some highlights from the trip of a lifetime.

PHOTOS: ➊ Associate Professor Michael Thomas '93 overlooking Florence; ➋ Roman Forum (Temple of Saturn; Arch of Septimius Severus); ➌ The students take a classic gondola ride in Venice; ➍ The Duomo in Milan.

Concordia Says Viva Italia!

➊

➋

➍

« April 3The world’s largest convocation of academicians and scholars

gather to share new research on the life and works of the Elizabethan era’s premier

poet, playwright, and wordsmith at Concordia for the 12th Annual Shakespeare Authorship Studies Conference.

sAve tHe DAte!

in June 2009,

Assoc. prof. thomas will lead

a historical tour through

israel and Jordan.

e-mail alumni@cu-portl

and.edu

to request further

details.

Campus Life

6 concordia connection

Across campuses nationwide, Spring Break is typically a time when students flee for the sunny sands of tropical destinations, or to their homes for a final moment of rest before gearing up for the end of the term. Not so for a unique group of Concordia students who spent their Spring Break (March 24-29) in New Orleans as a part of the Habitat for Humanity Collegiate Challenge. Led by Professor Julie Rowland and Scott Ferguson, coordinator of Community Engagement & Service Learning at

Concordia, the eight students were joined by 700 other college students and descended on New Orleans to lend a helping hand and to live out Concordia's mission to prepare leaders for the transformation of society. The pictures on the news and reports from the ground all indicate that many of the families whose homes and lives were devastated by Hurricane Katrina are still financially unable to reconstruct their lives. Habitat for Humanity, which

specializes in providing housing for low-income families around the world, brought their work to the area of New Orleans, and is working diligently to create some level of relief for those who have suffered so much. Concordia volunteers were stationed at Camp Hope, a former high school that was completely flooded by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and converted by Habitat for Humanity into accommodations for staff and volunteers. The team spent the week at 2701 Kenilworth Drive where they worked to build a new home for a family forced to temporarily relocate to Kansas. After the storm, the house was eventually discovered more than four blocks away from its original foundation. At the conclusion of the five days, Concordia’s team had contributed over 400 hours of labor. Together with a group of volunteers from New York, they had framed almost the entire home. It was a significant contribution towards Habitat’s goal of building 1,500 new homes in the areas ravaged by Hurricane Katrina over the next 10 years. “I can’t imagine working with a more committed, right-minded group of students,” Rowland shared. “Our students were there for all the right reasons, and both their hard work and compassionate hearts were a gift to experience. The financial support and prayers of the Concordia community were incredible.” The university is hoping to make this an annual Spring Break event.

April 11 »Hundreds of people gather

on NE Liberty Street to help break ground on the George

R. White Library and Learning Center.

April 17 »Alter Wiener, Holocaust survivor

and author of From a Name to a Number: A Holocaust Survivor’s

Autobiography, shares stories from his experience at a Lyceum Series lecture.

Spring Break in New Orleans

Campus Life

7Summer 2008

Concordia Cavaliers Launch New Identity As witnessed in the Navy & White section of this magazine, this is an exciting time to be a Cavalier and a great time of transformation for the university. As such, the athletic department spent much of the past year working with Portland-based Sockeye Creative on the creation of a new logo and identity system, in hopes of more clearly articulating the mission and values of Concordia’s athletics program. Concordia University athletics is a strong and dynamic program and through this new identity system, the university hopes to put forward a more singular and bold statement about the history, tradition, and excellence of the Cavaliers.

There are several iterations and uses of the Concordia athletics logo. The Concordia ‘Cavaliers’ logo (pictured left) is the primary logo, and will be seen on the gym floor, merchandise, stationery, and more. It communicates very clearly who the Cavaliers are and is effective in making Concordia’s name visible. Two secondary, or spirit marks, were also developed – a “C” and a set of swords. The secondary marks will show up on hats, uniforms, and more. It is a great time to be a Cavalier and these new marks establish a new look and feel that will make a stronger statement to the public about Concordia athletics. The new logo is not the only

change in the athletics department. As was announced many months ago, the university re-structured the position of Athletic Director and launched a search to fill this new position. After a lengthy search, the university has named Matt English to this position. Matt is a native Portlander and graduated from Columbia Christian High School. He has a B.A. in Business Administration from Seattle Pacific University, and an M.B.A. from the University of Oregon’s Warsaw Sports Marketing Center. Since 2001, Matt has worked for the University of Oregon’s athletic department in a variety of roles starting as a graduate intern for the Duck Athletic Fund, then as regional

« April 22CU hosts the 14th Annual CEO Roundtable Luncheon, presented by KeyBank. Regional business leaders fill the ballroom at the Governor Hotel to hear from Judy Peppler, President, Qwest Communications, Oregon; Stephen P. Reynolds, Chairman, President, and CEO of Puget Energy & Puget Sound Energy; and Larry G. Miller, President of the Portland Trail Blazers.

mAy 5 »Members of CU’s

musical ensembles head south for a

12-day tour through California, Nevada, and Oregon, providing music and worship at more than 14 stops.

mAy 6Concordia begins offering its Master of Education program off-site in the Aloha-Beaverton area.

This fall, CU will expand the cohort offerings to Gresham, Lake Oswego, Milwaukie, and Medford.

Campus Life

director of development for the fund, working his way up to associate director of development for the fund, and in June of 2007 took over as interim executive director. During English’s tenure with the Duck Fund he helped to grow the

JuNe 2The Concordia Athletic Dept. hosts the

7th Annual Fore the Students Golf Tournament. More than 150 alumni, supporters, and friends play golf and raise $50,000 to support

scholarships for student athletes.

mAy 20The women’s golf team begins play at

the NAIA National Championships, their fourth straight trip to the tournament. They finish 11th out of 23 teams who competed.

« mAy 24In only their third season of

competition, the Cavaliers’ Track & Field team crowned three national champions at the NAIA

finale and produced nine All-Americans.

fund by more than 40 percent to $10.5 million. In 2007, he directed fundraising efforts for the athletics department, generating nearly $13 million in support. English was instrumental in creating and executing the private fundraising

On July 2, close to 200 people took a break from the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Ore. to gather at the new Concordia University Throw Center for an exclusive sneak peak. Located on 10 acres of land near the Portland International Airport, the Concordia University Throw Center was developed by Olympian and Concordia Throws Coach, Mac Wilkins, to provide a training ground for throwers from youth levels, to collegiate athletics, to Olympic hopefuls. The facility’s design features a large shelter at the hub to allow all four implements (javelin, hammer, discus, and shot put) to be thrown simultaneously in a safe environment. “The Throw Center will be a tremendous resource for throwers of all levels by providing year-round camps and clinics with expert instruction in all of the events,” Concordia Track and Field Head Coach Randy Dalzell said at the event. “It will also provide great competition for all ages with a series of events including a throwing summit, which will be a combination of instruction and competition at the highest levels.”

Concordia Previews One-of-a-Kind Throw Center

In addition to Wilkins, other Olympians and World Record holders attended with their families in tow such as Les Tipton (javelin, 1964), and Brian Crouser (javelin, 1988, 92). “This is a resource for throwers around the country. The participation programs

will bring in the local community as well as provide opportunities for elite U.S. throwers,” Mac Wilkins said. Concordia University’s track and field programs have produced eight NAIA national champions in three years of competition. Three Cavalier throwers captured individual championships this past season, including junior Annie Hess, who set the NAIA meet record in the discus last season and qualified to participate in the U.S. Olympic Trials this summer in Eugene, Ore. Hess finished the season with the overall top collegiate mark in the discus with a throw of 192 feet, 7 inches and is ranked No. 8 in the country.

plans for the University of Oregon’s planned basketball arena. In addition, he worked with coaches and administrative staff to assist with scheduling, strategic planning, and other administrative duties. He joined the Concordia staff in mid-July.

Front to bACk:H. Dale DeWitz

Carol (DeWitz) Brandon Allison (DeWitz) Zimmerman

Brenda (DeWitz) NimanDalene (DeWitz) Agost

Not pictured: Eric DeWitz

A Gift That Keeps Giving.

Attending Concordia has become a DeWitz family tradition. All five of H. Dale DeWitz’s children are alumni. Recently, Mr. DeWitz decided it was time to give back and support other families who value the Concordia experience. “I wanted others to receive the kind of education my children experienced at Concordia.” By giving through a Gift Annuity he was able to increase his annual income for life, save on taxes, and give back to students who would not have been able to afford college without assistance. To find out more about funding a Gift Annuity call (503) 280-8505 or (800) 752-4736 today. For

complete information on all of the estate planning services offered by the Concordia University Foundation view our website at www.cu-portland.edu/estates.

w w w . C u - p o r t L A n d . e d u / e S t A t e S

( 5 0 3 ) 2 8 0 - 8 5 0 5 / ( 8 0 0 ) 7 5 2 - 4 7 3 6

Feature Story

10 concordia connection

As the first shovel hit the ground with strains of “Ain'-a That Good News” in the background, the hundreds of alumni and friends attending the groundbreaking for the George R. White Library and Learning Center realized they were present for a truly extraordinary moment in Concordia’s history; a moment that was celebrated at a gala the previous evening honoring the occasion, as well as the 25 years of leadership by President and Mrs. Schlimpert.

Reality

theDReamBecomes

Feature Story

11Summer 2008

by Jeanie-Marie Price

concordia connection12

Feature Story

On the evening of April 10, Concordia dressed up the gym in navy

and white, struck up the band, and welcomed friends and supporters for a

celebration like none other seen on campus before. Under starlit trees, more

than 500 Concordia supporters toasted the start of the transformation of the

campus and the 25 years of service of Chuck and Patti Schlimpert. It was an

evening that kicked off the university’s comprehensive capital campaign –

From Success to Significance – a private fundraising campaign that will raise

more than $34 million for the campus by 2010.

The first project, and the cause for celebration, was the George R. White

Library and Learning Center. The $17 million project will increase academic

space by 75 percent and more than double the capacity for library volumes.

The development of the library also includes a quad and the Geri White

Campanile, enhancing the current campus environs. In addition to being

community friendly (the library has a community meeting room, a coffee

shop, and an entrance that is outward facing), it is also environmentally

friendly and is Silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Developmental

Design) certified by the Green Building Council for environmentally

sustainable construction. The new building will also include a number of

key academic centers including the Center for Applied Lutheran Leadership,

The Shakespeare Authorship Research Centre, and the Northwest Center for

Children's Literature to name a few.

All of the great features of the building, as well as the accomplishments

of the campus were touted by Gala Chairperson, University Regent and

Foundation Director, Gloria Edwards. Portland Mayor Tom Potter was

a highlight of the event and presented a four-year, full-ride Concordia

University scholarship to incoming freshman Cinthia Hernandez (who, at

the time, was a senior at Portland’s Jefferson High School). Mayor Potter

remarked that, “Concordia is truly a partner in our community and is

making a difference in the lives of others.”aneVeninG

Summer 2008 13

Feature Story

“God has richly blessed this university and its community far beyond my expectations—something He does regularly.”

PHOTOS: TOP: Patti Schlimpert. MIDDLE:

Lois (Schmidt) Gogl ‘56. BOTTOM: President

Chuck Schlimpert. FAR LEFT: Portland Mayor,

Tom Potter. FAR RIGHT: Pastor Derrick Traylor.

RememBeReVeninG

to

» President Chuck Schlimpert

At the close of the program, President

Schlimpert had the opportunity to

address the crowd, “Patti and I are

grateful for your partnership and the

very special opportunity to serve this

university for much longer than we

ever anticipated. God has richly blessed

this university and its community far

beyond my expectations—something

He does regularly.”

concordia connection14

PHOTOS: TOP: Concordia University Foundation Chair,

George Thurston. MIDDLE: Concordia University

choir members file into the groundbreaking celebration.

BOTTOM: Black Parent Initiative President, Charles

McGee. LARGE PHOTO: Rev. Dr. Art Wahlers and

his son, current provost Dr. Mark Wahlers HS ‘76.

BOTTOM LEFT: Northwest District President, and

Chairman of the Board of Regents, Warren Schumacher.

BOTTOM MIDDLE: University Regent, Foundation

Director, and Gala Chairperson, Gloria Edwards.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Asst. Professor, Keylah (Boyer)

Frazier ‘97, Dean Dr. Chuck Kunert, Executive Vice

President, Gary Withers, and Regent

and Foundation Director, Andrew White. celeBRateDayto

a

On Friday, April 11 the campus moved its normal chapel time outside of

St. Michael’s and onto NE Liberty Street for a special service to break ground

on the first new academic building on campus in more than 15 years. Hundreds

of students, Concordia community members, neighbors, civic leaders, and

philanthropic supporters of the university gathered together in prayer and

fellowship to launch the construction. The excitement and significance of the day

was symbolized with each turn of the soil. Years of planning and hard work were

bearing fruit at last—the dream is becoming a reality.

Northwest District President Warren Schumacher, student body president,

Zach Saltz, community member and President of the Black Parent Initiative,

Charles McGee, longtime friend of the university, Ross Edwards, and others

spoke of the importance of the George R. White Library and Learning Center and

the impact it would have on generations of Concordia students and community

members alike.

The library is named for George R. White, president of National Bark Sales

in Boise, Idaho, whose relationship with Concordia spans more than two decades.

He, along with his wife Geri, has given generously of time and talent to Concordia.

His nephew, Andrew White, now a Concordia University Foundation Director,

was on hand to place the ceremonial shovels into the ground with the Schlimperts.

With the leadership and generous support of Concordia friends and alumni,

the transformation has begun. Concordia’s expansion will soon allow the physical

campus to keep pace with the momentum of its programs, its students, and its

community.

To learn more about the Success to Significance Campaign, watch the construction

in progress, and to view our transformation video, visit the Concordia University

website’s Campus Expansion page, www.cu-portland.edu/giving/success. Come

back often to keep updated on the progress of the George R. White Library and

Learning Center through the LIVE webcam. Join the excitement as the next phase

of Concordia’s future unfolds.

Summer 2008 15celeBRate

to

Current Issues

16 concordia connection

According to the Portland Housing Authority, there are more than 10,000 families and individuals seeking affordable housing in Portland, Ore., 1,000 of which are on a waiting list and in direct need of a place to call home. 88 of these low-income families will have affordable housing, more than 331,565 cubic feet of materials will not see a landfill, and 1,094 mature trees will continue to live and grow thanks to Concordia University’s efforts to reuse its resources in the midst of construction. Concordia’s campus expansion plan has become more than new buildings. Through unique partnerships, this once typical

construction project is now an environmental and social manifestation of Concordia’s mission to prepare leaders for the transformation of society. In order to make way for the George R. White Library and Learning Center, quad, new residence hall, and new athletic complex, the University needs to remove 47 homes that once served generations of students and staff as married housing. Instead of

demolishing the homes, Concordia is partnering with alumnus Matt Burton ‘97 of Homes Worth Keeping and The ReBuilding Center to give the old buildings new life while helping others in the community. Late last year as Concordia University CFO Denny Stoecklin was strategizing the best way to clear the way for new construction on campus, he happened to take a seat at a dinner next to Matt Burton. Burton, who has a business degree from

Concordia, was at the dinner to speak about his successful non-profit organization, Extraordinary Young People, which provides mentorship, education, and support programs for Native American children, young adults, and their families on reservations, villages, and reserves. Burton also heads Burton

Property Holdings, a company that provides housing for low-income families in Southwest Washington. It was this chance meeting that brought Concordia and Burton into a partnership like no other. As an extension of Burton Property

new opportunities

Matt Burton ‘97 stands outside one of the 47 homes he plans to relocate for use by

low-income families through his organization, Homes Worth Keeping and Burton

Property Holdings.

by Kassie Boehringer

Old homes bring

Current Issues

17Summer 2008

Holdings, Burton developed Homes Worth Keeping. With a team of nearly 30 people, Burton plans to move and refurbish all but three of Concordia’s old houses, converting them to duplex units with two separate living spaces. Working with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, AccuTrust Real Estate, ECONorthwest, and NW Structural Moving, Burton will rent the duplexes at a reduced rate to working, low-income families. A native Portlander, Burton graduated from Mountain View High School in 1985. He attended Warner Pacific College and later Concordia, supporting himself through college in part by cutting onions for $6 an hour. Led by his strong relationship with God, Burton has dedicated his life to serving the underserved. He created Extraordinary Young People and Homes Worth Keeping to help disadvantaged children and adults fulfill their potential. Currently, Burton and his team are looking for large plots of land in Multnomah County where they can relocate the houses. Once the land is purchased, Burton will begin moving the homes—three a day—through the streets of Portland. “This is a unique project,” Burton said. “At least 27 of the houses have to be moved by April 30, 2009. We’re working hard to make sure we meet the deadline.” The three homes that cannot be moved will be dismantled by DeConstruction Services, a local non-profit organization, and donated to its parent organization ReBuilding

Center of Our United Villages. The process can be more cost-effective compared to the “wrecking ball approach,” and up to 85 percent of the building materials can be salvaged and used for future projects. The ReBuilding Center, located in Portland on N. Mississippi, sells the saved materials through its 52,500 square foot warehouse. It functions like a thrift store for building materials and donations are tax-deductible. The center is open to the public and is a popular destination for homeowners, do-it-yourselfers, contractors, and artists, who enjoy 50 to 90 percent off regular retail prices. Many of the materials that cannot be reused for future building projects become inspiration for one-of-a-kind furniture pieces created by ReFind Furniture, a department of The ReBuilding Center, which creates picture frames, tables, mirrors, and other functional works of art. The ReBuilding Center’s goals

new opportunitiesinclude improving the environment by reusing materials that would otherwise be dumped into landfills, providing livable-wage jobs in an economically depressed area, educating the community on the benefits of recycling, and providing quality and environmentally sound building and remodeling materials at affordable prices. With ingenuity, hard work, and a passion for improving the community, Concordia University, Homes Worth Keeping, and The ReBuilding Center are turning old homes into vital resources for local families. While Concordia’s new buildings and athletic fields will vastly improve the university’s ability to serve, the homes that once stood in their places will also continue to transform lives well into the future. For more information about DeContruction Services and The ReBuilding Center, visit www.rebuildingcenter.org.

Alumni Notes

concordia connection18

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Alumni Notes

EMAIL: alumni@cu-portland.edu

60’s

70’s

1963Stephen Ude HS recently built a new home in Ogden, Iowa and looks forward to retirement in a few years.

1966Bill Berner is a senior vice president and financial consultant with D.A. Davidson & Co.’s Bend office and was recently named to the firm’s President’s Club in recognition of his strong professionalism and commitment to clients.

1971Grace Jewett lives in Battle Ground, Wash. She is an administrator for Vancouver Public Schools where she continues to serve deaf people. Grace is the mother of three (Margo, Amy, and Michael), and grandmother to Margo’s first-born, Ty Anthony Williams.

Dennis Morrison and Dolores (Fulton) Morrison ‘71 are serving as missionary teachers in Seoul, South Korea. Dennis writes, “We have been here for 10 months and plan to be here a while. It is wonderful to be serving our Lord in this manner. If you are coming to Korea, let us know.” E-mail them at ddmorrison51@gmail.com.

Connie (Schwarzkopf) Nichols writes, “After many years of not keeping up with classmates, here is the perfect opportunity to do so! I was a cop for 6 1/2 years, taught in a one-room school for 15 years, had a landscaping business, and was attacked by the dreaded Multiple Sclerosis in 1999. I married John Nichols in 1991 (he retired from Seattle Fire Dept. in 1992) and we moved to Palisades, Wash. in 2001. I would love to hear from former classmates.” E-mail Connie at nichols4gfarm@genext.net.

1974Karen DuVal-Preuit is involved in co-founding a Christian Vocational College with 12 charitable outreaches integrated into the curriculum. As it develops they will be seeking pastors, professors, and lay workers. E-mail her at ZenasCenter@solid.net.

Allan Rumsch is teaching second grade for a Department of Defense school on Incirlik Air Base in Turkey.

1977John Nordling spent time this past spring in Pretoria, South Africa, where he taught at the Tswhane Lutheran Seminary.

1978Maughn Hagel has been a Special Education teacher at Corvallis High School for 25 years. He and his wife, Joy, recently celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary, and they have three children, Katelyn (16), Taylor (14), and Kallie (9).

Pamela (Beal) Knight moved from Buffalo, NY back to Tacoma, Wash. after 23 years at the University at Buffalo as a graduate student and then as a researcher in the field of community policing. She married Mark Knight on October 28, 2007 and works for the Seattle Police Foundation.

1979Richard Keegan writes, “A lot has happened since I graduated with my A.A. in 1979. I received my B.S.N. from the University of Portland in 1981, I obtained a M.Ed. in teaching from National University in 2003, and completed my M.S. in Nursing at CSU, Sacramento where I now teach clinical part time. I recently retired from nursing at UC Davis Medical Center after 22 years, where I started as a new graduate R.N. in 1981. I am currently applying to the University of San Francisco for a Doctorate in Nursing Practice.”

John King lives in Spanaway, Wash. with his wife Nikki (Ruff) ALND ‘79. Their oldest daughter is an R.N., youngest

daughter is in the Army and will be attending PLU ROTC this August, and their adopted son is 12 years old. “Life has been good and we’re looking forward to retirement in a few years.”

Alumni Notes

Summer 2008 19

80’s1980Jeff Kranich received the 2008 Lux Christi Award from Concordia for excellence in Christian Education.

Michael “Mike” Matlock is chairman of the Northern California Officials Association. This past fall he was selected to officiate one of the three state football championship games, an honor that was featured in The Lodi News. Mike is currently a fifth grade teacher at Fairsite Elementary School in Galt, Calif. and has three grown children.

Greg Williamson writes, “I’ve been an active duty Army chaplain since 1986 and am now at Ft. Meade, Md. Jackie and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary this year. I’ve enjoyed military ministry, and I will continue to pray that Army beats Navy.”

1981Liz (Richmond) Sedore and her husband, Jim, were commissioned in June, 2007 as missionaries to Mongolia. Liz plans to work in women’s ministries and Celebrate Recovery leadership, and Jim will work in reforestation and men’s ministry. Visit her blog at LJMonGO.blogspot.com.

1982Brian Brumsickle is currently the high school principal at the American International School of Dhaka. In August he will move to become the principal at the American School of Warsaw.

Randy Zook was featured as the Teacher of the Week in The Orlando Sentinel. Randy teaches mathematics at Orlando Lutheran Academy in Orlando, Fla.

1983Richard Wildhirt was named Minister of Classic Worship at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Federal Way, Wash. following the retirement of former Concordia faculty member, Ray Sievert. Richard’s duties include worship planning, organist, and choir director. Daughter, Terilyn (CU-Irvine ‘06) is a 7th grade teacher at the Concordia School in Tacoma, Wash. Son, Phillip, wed Tabitha Brauer (CU-Irvine ‘07), daughter of Doug ’86 and Beth (Heiden) Brauer ‘85, in May 2008.

1984The accomplishments of Scott Aker, Wilson High School athletic director and boy’s basketball coach in Portland, Ore., were recently featured in The Portland Tribune. The article also mentioned Scott’s son,

Cody Aker ‘08, who was the co-captain and the second-leading scorer of Concordia’s men’s basketball team. His youngest son, Gage, will be a freshman at CU-Portland in the fall where he, too, will play basketball.

If there is one name that is synonymous with Concordia athletics it is Dwaine Brandt. He was the head coach of the baseball team for 29 years, touching the lives of more than 400 players, coaching them in an estimated 8,000 innings. So you can imagine how it felt when he bid farewell to the old field at the closing ceremony after the alumni games this spring, clearing the way for the George R. White Library and Learning Center taking its place. For him, and the hundreds of others in attendance who shared moments of glory and camaraderie on that field for more than 60 years, the emotion was palatable. Dwaine’s teaching career at Concordia spans 40 years throughout which he developed a number of Humanities courses, chaired the History and Social Science Department, and served as head and assistant basketball coach, in addition to his time spent on the baseball field.

In a recent interview on campus, Dwaine said, “I didn’t come here to make money. I didn’t come here to get ready to go to another school. I came here to spend my entire life at the same place, and it was the best decision I ever made.” And it was a decision that has paid huge dividends for generations of Blue Jays and Cavaliers. Dwaine was inducted into the NAIA District 2 Coaches Hall of Fame in 1991. Although he retired from Concordia in 1999, he continues to coach the alumni team at the annual alumni games and stays involved in campus life. When the university breaks ground and subsequently dedicates the new athletic complex and the baseball field within it, you can bet Coach Brandt will be in attendance. He may be retired, but his dedication to Concordia University continues to pave the way for those who have come behind him.

Coach Brandt Helps Concordia Bid Farewell to an Old Friend

Alumni Notes

concordia connection20

90’s

1985Kimberly Petersen was appointed by Calif. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as the community program manager for the Northern California Re-Entry Facility in Stockton, which is part of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Kim was also recognized at last fall’s reunion with the Alumni of Distinction Award.

1987D’Norgia Taylor Price published a new book, String Beans & Candy Canes: A Novel!

1988Karina (Savage) Strandjord MAT ‘02 recently moved to Big Fork, Mont. with her husband, Joe, and daughters, Olivija and Sofie. Joe is the pastor of Bethany Lutheran Church.

1989Dan Berg and Tressa (Little) Berg ‘90 live in Shoreline, Wash. with their teenage children, K.C. and Zack. Tressa is an algebra teacher and cross country and track coach at King’s High School in Seattle, Wash. Dan teaches P.E. at King’s Elementary.

1992Daniel Clem was appointed director of the Oregon Department of Aviation by Ore. Governor Ted Kulongoski in August 2007. He and his wife, Debbie, have five grown children and five grandchildren.

Robert Musfeldt and his wife, Alice, welcomed their son, Blake Robert Musfeldt, on November 8, 2006. Robert is currently the assistant principal of Murchison Middle School in Austin, Texas.

1993Tamara “Tami” Briggs MBA recently joined Coca-Cola Enterprises as the director of category planning.

Wayne Johnson writes, “I retired from full-time work as a police supervisor, and aside from my Concordia degree, I have also graduated from other management trainings such as the FBI National Academy, the Oregon Executive Development Institute, and Executive Police training at Portland State University. After high school, I served from 1961-1965 in the US Navy, and visited ports in Japan, Okinawa, the Philippines, Laos, and Vietnam. I have been happily married for 37 years to Joanne Johnson ALJC ‘68, and we have one daughter, Joan, a college student.”

1994David Burkhardt welcomed his first child, Aryn Grace, on August 9, 2006. Ayrn was born while David was serving in Mosul, Iraq.

Dawn (Grauer) Hooks and Michael Hooks ‘95 have two daughters, Danica (3) and Hannah (infant). Both children were adopted from birth through Antioch Adoptions, a Christian adoption agency founded by Dr. Ken Hutcherson, pastor of Antioch Bible Church in Kirkland, Wash. After working at the Washington State School for the Blind for seven years, Michael started Next Level Assistive Technology (www.nextlevelat.com). His company provides software and hardware technology to the blind and visually impaired. Michael is also an adjunct instructor at Portland State University in the graduate program for visually impaired learners. Dawn taught K-3 education at the Washington State School for the Blind and was an adjunct instructor at Portland State University in the graduate program for visually impaired learners. She is currently taking a sabbatical from teaching to stay at home full-time with their daughters.

1994Toni (Laue) Schimming is pursuing a Master of Arts in applied theology, specializing in pastoral and spiritual counseling at Marylhurst University. Toni, her husband, Paul, and daughter, Margaret, have lived in the Concordia neighborhood for the past 16 years.

Amy (Westland) Zuckerman and her husband, Howard, welcomed a baby girl, Zoey Rae, on April 2, 2008. Zoe joins big brother Zachary.

1995Emily (Junken) House is in her eighth year “walking the journey of adoption.” She and

her husband, Brian, have two children, Abby (4) and Benjamin (2). She would love to connect with her classmates. E-mail her at emily.house@msn.com.

Dave Hurt is the facilities department contract manager for the Port of Vancouver.

1996Amy Gehrke was recently named director of Graduate Admission in CU’s Office of Admission.

Kimberly Morton married Ethan Bench on July 14, 2007. They live in Burien, Wash. Kim is the book production manager at Tape Ministries NW, a lending library of Christian Audio Books for the blind and disabled. She is a published handbell composer, and is looking to get involved in music ministry at a local church now that she and her husband are getting settled in to their new community.

Mike Nolan is serving on the La Center City Council in La Center, Wash.

1997Ilene Gilbert is the regional vice president of Ambulatory Network for Provena St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet, Ill.

Alumni Notes

Summer 2008 21

00’sNeill Twigg teaches elementary P.E. at Eastwood and Groner Elementary Schools in Hillsboro, Ore. Neill also coaches girl’s basketball at Hillsboro High School.

1998Luis Alcala MBA ‘07 is a senior solutions consultant for BCSI in Beaverton, Ore.

Shane Bassett is the principal of Glenfair Elementary School in Portland, Ore.

Diane Hill MBA ‘03 writes, “I moved back to Seattle, Wash. in 2005, and after 15 months as a Boeing project manager contractor, I have landed back at a university. Well sort of. I now work for a company called SunGard Higher Education, a contract services company that provides information technology services to approximately 1600 colleges and universities. My client is Seattle University and my office is actually located on their campus. My mission is to set up a project management office and instill project management practices and principles. I really am enjoying my job and it is most enjoyable to be involved again with faculty, staff, and academia and not have any homework!”

Jenn Klotz was recently featured in the Tigard Times for her musical endeavors and volunteer work. Jenn is a member of the musical group, Pressure Point, and is an employee recognition specialist for Oregon Health & Science University.

Joel McGinley works for Cox Comm-unications headquartered in Atlanta, Ga.

Kristin (Scherer) Schuman lives in Elk Grove, Calif. with her husband, Brian, and son, Destry. She is completing her degree and plans to pursue a career in counseling/social work.

Jodee (Thickins) Smith and her husband, Geoff, welcomed a baby girl, Ashlee Joelle, on April 20, 2007. She joined older sister, Ainslee Rae (born March 11, 2005). Jodee earned her Master of Arts in Teaching in special education at Pacific University in 2002. She taught for three years in the Hillsboro School District where she specialized in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Jodee also coached varsity girl's basketball at Hillsboro High School before hanging up her sneakers for motherhood. Jodee is a stay-at-home mom in Cashmere, Wash.

Chris Thurley MAT is the head boy’s soccer coach and Health & P.E. department chair at Jesuit High School in Portland, Ore.

Koty Zelinka teaches English at Portland Lutheran High School and was recently featured in The Oregonian for her creative use of MySpace.com to teach Romeo and Juliet.

1999Scott Hutchins MAT and his wife, Kylee (Wells) MAT ‘04, welcomed a daughter, Sylvia Marie, in September 2007.

Jon Muhly along with his wife, Julie, and their sons, David and Nathan, are serving as missionaries in Moscow, Russia through LCMS World Mission.

Paul Rondema and Jen (Russell) ‘98 welcomed a baby girl, Anna Hope, on February 14, 2008.

Jacob “Jay” Schmidt MBA ‘06 has joined Silicon Forest Electronics, Inc., a contract manufacturing company in Vancouver, Wash., as the vice-president of Sales and Marketing.

Jennifer Swisegood celebrated five years of marriage in March and just completed her master’s degree in Family Life from CU-Nebraska. She writes, “I have fond memories of my days at Concordia – Portland, best of luck with the building.”

Heather Vinal MAT is a secondary science teacher in the Portland Public School District.

2000Karen (McLaughlin) Bures and her husband live in Saint Paul, Minn. and have a two-year-old, Aiden. She would love to connect with classmates. E-mail her at karenmclaughlin2003@yahoo.com.

Chaplain Lt. Jones Ofuasia is the lead pastor of the Tarawa Terrace Chapel at Camp Lejeune, a Marine Corps base in NC. Jones and his wife, Dianna, have two children, Benjamin (8) and Olivia (3).

Alicia (Hodnett) Robinson MBA ‘02 lives in Mount Laurel, NJ and is pursuing a Ph.D. in organizational psychology and development.

Eszylfie Taylor and his fiancée are proud parents of a baby girl born in February 2007. Eszylfie recently finished in the top one percent of brokers for New York Life Insurance Company, and is involved in a number of business ventures including ownership in a LA bar/restaurant, animation company (www.gigapix.com), sports handicapping company (www.priflex.com), non-profit youth basketball camp (www.futurestarscamp.org), and real estate investments.

Lejla Zorlak lives in Sarajero where she works for Coca-Cola.

Alumni Notes

concordia connection22

2001Katie Kautz married Jesse Dill in 2001 and in 2006 they welcomed a daughter, Amalia Hanley. Katie teaches Kindergarten at David Hill Elementary School in Hillsboro, Ore.

David and Beth (Vowels) Nickodemus ‘01 welcomed a son, Noah, on January 10, 2008. Noah joins a brother, Jacob.

Shannin Zednik works for the Baker City Police, and is the new resource officer for Baker City High School.

Peter Kunert and his wife, Carrie, welcomed Brady Charles on March 31, 2008. Brady weighed 4 lbs, 12 oz. Dr.

Chuck Kunert, dean of the College of Theology, Arts, and Sciences is now the proud grandpa of six grandchildren.

Chad Van Demark was recently hired at Resource Recycling Technologies in Bellevue, Wash. as the resource allocation manager.

Robert Walker MBA ‘04 is serving in Iraq. He writes, “The people of Iraq want what everyone else wants. They want their families to live in peace, they want their children to grow healthy, strong, and educated, and they want to benefit from the fruits of their own labor. Although the religion may be different, the love of life is the same.”

Young Alums Brew SuccessIt was basketball that brought Leigh-Anne

(Stohl) ’04, MAT ‘05 and Justin Durham

‘03 to Concordia University, but it will be

coffee that brings them back.

Leigh-Anne and Justin both say that

what started out simply as the desire to

play basketball for the Cavaliers, turned

into a complex and exciting journey that

has led to personal growth, marriage, and

leadership roles in the Durham family

business. That business—Sisters Coffee

Company—will bring Leigh-Anne and

Justin back to Concordia as their coffee is

featured at the new coffee cart opening in

the relocated bookstore.

Justin’s family started Sisters Coffee Company, based in Sisters, Ore., when he was

eight years old. For the past three years, Leigh-Anne and Justin have used their talents

to help the business grow. And while joining Sisters Coffee Company was always in

the back of Justin’s mind, Leigh-Anne was set on becoming a teacher and earned her

Master of Arts in Teaching degree from Concordia.

“I was convinced I was going to be a teacher,” said Leigh-Anne. “However, I have

learned that life rarely turns out like we have it planned in our heads. I was offered a job

in the family business, and my path turned.”

Both Justin and Leigh-Anne credit Concordia with helping them to develop the skills

to succeed in business and in life. “During my time at CU, my relationship with Christ

really developed, and for the first time in my life I earnestly sought Truth,” said Justin.

“I wouldn’t be able to help move our business forward were it not for the personal

growth I experienced at Concordia.”

“I am blessed beyond measure to be able to use my

organizational and management skills to instruct and

mentor a staff of over 20 young people every day,”

added Leigh-Anne.

When the Durhams heard that Concordia was opening a coffee cart at the new

bookstore, they knew it should feature Sisters Coffee. Their hard work and ongoing

relationships built while students at Concordia helped to make their dream a reality.

Leigh-Anne and Justin plan to help future Concordia students learn about business

through internship and management opportunities. “We fall short in our success if

we do not teach others the skills we have learned,” said Leigh-Anne. “The greatest

accomplishment is to learn skills that make you successful, and then pass them on.”

For now, the Durhams look forward to reconnecting with Concordia and expanding

Sisters Coffee Company to Portland. “Concordia was so instrumental in our maturity

that it seems very natural to be involved in a project like this one,” said Justin.

Alumni Notes

Summer 2008 23

photo taken by: Holden onto Memories

2002Andrea Anderson is engaged to Patrick McDonald. The couple lives in Las Vegas, Nev. where Andrea teaches special edu-cation and is pursuing her master’s degree at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Heidi Brotche married Bradley McCutcheon on August 11, 2007. The couple lives in Lacey, Wash., and Heidi is a real estate agent at Keller Williams Realty in Olympia.

Correne (Schilke) Constantino is expecting her first baby this August.

Kirsten Daniel MAT married Casey Holden on July 15, 2006. Kirsten teaches P.E. and Health, and is the Junior Varsity basketball coach at Bend High School in Bend, Ore.

Heather Donnan married Jeff Ballman in June 2005. They welcomed a son, Benjamin Michael, in May 2006. Heather writes, “I am currently a membership and marketing specialist for Girl Scouts in Mankato, Minn. and enjoying the country life on our family farm. I hope all you west coast people are enjoying life!”

Jennifer (Kenyon) Letourneau recently moved back to Portland, Ore. from Phoenix, Ariz.

Lynda Stelzer was recently appointed to head the Bureau of Land Management’s National Operations Center in Denver, Colo.

2003Wendy (Waldrop) Avery and her husband, Todd, welcomed a daughter, Aubree Grace, on May 11, 2007. Aubree joins sister, Claire (2).

Steven Colkitt married Brittany Schumaker on July 7, 2007. The couple lives in Roseburg, Ore., where Steven is an eighth grade math teacher.

Jennifer Hollis married Josh Pearce ‘99 on July 28, 2007. Jennifer works for Concordia’s Office of Admission and Josh is in sales for Fred Meyer.

Cassiday (Timmons) Hopkins is a first grade teacher in Gresham, Ore. She and her husband, Jason, have two daughters born in 2004 and 2006. Cassiday is currently pursuing her master’s degree in education with a specialization in reading/literacy.

Katrina Takalo married Chuck Morris on March 31, 2008. Katrina is a teacher at Pierce Elementary School in Pierce, Idaho.

2004Kelly Allen MAT married Robert Csepcsanyi on June 26, 2007 in Maui, Hawaii. Kelly is a teacher at Aloha Huber Park School in Beaverton, Ore.

Ian Ciccareli writes, “I have three kids now, Isaac, Elijah, and Violet, and of course have been married to Naomi for five years. We are buying our first house and recently opened ‘Ciccarelli’s Restaurant’ in North Bend, Ore. I am the head chef/owner serving ‘Northwest Cuisine with an International Flair,’ mostly a play on French and Italian classics. Stop by and receive a free piece of tiramisu for all Concordia alumni.”

Bill Dash is a math teacher in the Columbia County Education Campus alternative program at St. Helens High School in St. Helens, Ore.

Ada (Weicht) Frandsen welcomed triplets, Daril, Dax, and Andee, on May 30, 2007.

Jason Talley and Ashlee (Swett) Talley ‘05 recently celebrated their first wedding anniversary. Jason is in the doctoral program for PharmD at Pacific University. Ashlee is working at Tuality Community Hospital and plans to start the Physician Assistant program through Pacific University in June. Last September, Ashlee and her friend, Amanda Larsen ‘05, participated in Race for the Cure in Portland, Ore. in honor of Amanda’s mom, Debbie Larson, and Dana Barbarick, wife of Concordia University men’s basketball coach, Brad Barbarick.

2005Judith “Judy” Blevens lives in Battle Ground, Wash. where she keeps busy with volunteer work. She recently returned to campus and wrote, “What did I find at CU…another campus and people growing, all caring better for God’s creation.”

Alumni Notes

concordia connection24

Shawn Farrens MAT married Janie Hovda on March 24, 2007. The couple resides in Portland, Ore.

Alissa Harris writes, “I got engaged.”

Seth Johnson MAT was recently named principal of River Mill Elementary School in Estacada, Ore. He is married with a 1-year-old son.

Kiersten Krajcar was recently appointed registrar for Concordia University.

Philipp Kupfer and his wife, Rachel, have moved to Boston, Mass. Philipp is a dental student at Harvard University.

Karlia Lindeke lives in Kent, Wash. and is a staff analyst for Boeing.

Carmelyn Mark returned to her reser-vation, Gila River Indian Community in Arizona, after graduation and currently serves as the Community’s financial analyst. Carmelyn writes, “I give thanks to my community for putting me through college. That is why I want to stay here, to give back to my Tribe what they have given me, and that is a life that I can be proud of.”

Charlotte May and Eric Bohlmann ‘06 are engaged and planning an autumn wedding. Charlotte works in Concordia’s Office of Admission.

Damian Pardue MBA ‘07 was sworn into the United States Air Force by Brigadier General Robert McFarlin, U.S. Army (Ret.), partner faculty of the Concordia MBA program, on February 17, 2008. Damien is serving as a Medical Sciences Corp. Officer.

Kelley (Holleran) Piper and her husband, Mike, welcomed a son, Landon, on August 22, 2007.

Gina Pronesti MAT married Clifford Lascink on August 14, 2007. Gina is an elementary school Spanish teacher in Portland, Ore.

John Runcie M.Ed. TESL is teaching English as a Second Language at Clark College and Portland Community College.

Kelly (Stirling) Thompson MAT is a second grade teacher at Happy Valley Elementary School in Happy Valley, Ore.

2006Thomas Bier and Melissa Smith ‘06 recently became engaged. A wedding is planned for the summer of 2009.

John Blom and his wife, Deborah (Holts) Blom ‘05, are relocating to the Kansas City area where John is starting a job as a historian/researcher at the Combat Studies Institute in Fort Leavenworth.

Joanna (Hale) Curren graduated this spring with a M.A. in counseling psychology from Pacific University with Summa Cum Laude honors.

Sarah Dickson married David Meyer on March 29, 2008. The couple resides in Boise, Idaho.

Scott Dickson married Stephanie Solarek ‘08 on May 17, 2008 at the Olympic Lodge in Bremerton, Wash.

Stacy Doering graduated this spring with a M.S. in counseling psychology from Cal State Bakersfield.

Brian Layton MAT married Sarah Miller on August 25, 2007. Brian is a business education teacher at Toledo High School in Wash. and Sarah is a third grade teacher.

William Lindemann MBA is a project manager for the Port of Houston and the West Gulf Maritime Association. His position is funded by the Texas Workforce Commission, and is the first economic development grant awarded by the State of Texas to the maritime industry for training improvements and homeland security.

Kenna Maltman married J.W. Walker on November 24, 2007, and now resides in Merrill, Ore. Kenna is a teacher at Peterson Elementary School in the Klamath County School District.

Shay McDonald MBA and her husband, Ryan, welcomed twins, Liam and Ella, on December 29, 2007.

Alumni Notes

Summer 2008 25

Nathan Moyal MBA has relocated to Seattle for a new marketing position in the Touch Screen group of Cypress Semiconductor–Wireless.

Lorien Petersen was commissioned as a Director of Christian Education on January 20, 2008 and is currently serving as the DCE at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bend, Ore.

Alexander Platanias is a case manager for Kampfe Management Services in Portland, Ore. KMS provides brain injury rehab programs to help people who are brain-damaged as the result of a traumatic accident. Alexander was recently interviewed on ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” for a segment on concussions among high school football players.

Ashley Rowe received a master’s degree in social work from the University of Denver this spring.

Martin “Marty” Welch and Anna Everett were married on June 15, 2007. Marty is the director of youth ministry at Community of Hope Lutheran Church in Wilsonville, Ore.

2007Danielle Denney is a math teacher in the Cape Flattery School District in Neah Bay, Wash.

Brian Gardner MAT is the assistant principal at Waldport High School in Waldport, Ore.

Paul Graslie MBA recently accepted a position with the World Council of Credit Unions working to set up microfinance organizations in developing countries. He and his wife have relocated to Madison, Wis.

Alex Hartman plays for the Vancouver Volcanoes in the International Basketball League.

Eric Herboth married Ali Lajoie on June 30, 2007.

Darcy Madison recently joined the Concordia University Foundation as an administrative assistant. She also serves as an assistant coach for the women’s basketball team.

Carrie Mork MAT married Ben Palenske on November 10, 2007. Carrie is a kindergarten teacher in Jewell, Ore.

Kelli Moung M.Ed. teaches elementary physical education at Lewis and Clark Elementary School in St. Helens, Ore.

Michael Rowley MAT married Jacqueline Pearce in July 2007. Michael is a middle school math teacher in Atlanta, Ga.

Jyndia Schaible spent last year in New York City where she volunteered with pregnant teens living with HIV.

Lori Weiss MAT teaches math and accounting at Tualatin High School in Tualatin, Ore.

2008Jennifer Hart recently started working for Concordia’s Office of Admission as the administrative assistant.

Kari Mabe and Paul Jaques are engaged to be married in July 2009.

Brandon and Sarah Grace (Rondema) Shewbert ‘01 will relocate to Seattle in September 2008 where Sarah will begin her Ph.D. in music history at the University of Washington. She has been granted a full tuition scholarship and teaching assistantship and is sad but excited to leave Concordia after five years as assistant director of Theology, PAVA, and Humanities. Brandon will continue to pursue his career as a personal trainer.

Weekend i sUNDER CONSTRUCTION the bulldozers and workers are busy transforming the campus and constructing the George r. white Library and Learning Center and a new Quad. All this work means the campus will be a little messy this year, so reunion is also under

construction and will come back in the summer of 2009

bigger and better.

In the meantime, don’t miss this amazing

opportunity to watch the

construction take place. For more information and to view our live footage visit:

www.cu-portland.edu

Reunion

concordia connection26

2008

1 - Women’s soccer players past and present at the annual Alumni Soccer & Volleyball Games (Aug. 07)2 - Coach Dan Birkey and alumni, Biniam Afenegus, at the annual Alumni Soccer & Volleyball Games (Aug. 07)3 - Rev. Dr. Dick Reinisch and Rev. Dr. Art Wahlers pose at Concordia’s Founder’s Day Chapel (Sept. 07)4&5 - Alumni and current players pose at the annual Alumni Basketball Games (Oct. 07)6 - Members of the 50-Year Club at Reunion (Oct. 07)

7 - Joe & Linda (Simsen) Borecki and Carla (Vahsholtz) Olson at Reunion (Oct. 07)8 - Distinguished Alumnae Kim Petersen with Dr. Lynne Keyne-Michaels (Oct. 07)9 - Dr. Dwaine Brandt and Dr. Joel Schuldheisz with Hall of Fame Inductee Richard Schmidtke at Reunion (Oct. 07)10 - Students and alumni cheer on the men's basketball team at UO (Nov. 07)11 - Alumni attend the MAT TESOL Luncheon (Feb. 08)12&13 - Baseball players past and present gather for the Baseball Legacy Event (Apr. 08)

Alumni Highlights

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Alumni Notes

In MemoriamGavin Anderson ‘02 passed away on January 28, 2008 from cancer. He is survived by his wife, Maritza, daughters, Kayla and Ashley, and son, Jared.

Dennis Bauman ‘06 passed away on July 21, 2007 at the age of 45. He was a loving husband, devoted father to his son, Adam, teacher, and mentor.

Associate professor of marketing, Gary Blackton, passed away on September 12, 2007. Gary began teaching marketing seminars at Concordia University in 1988 as an adjunct professor. He also served as president of Blackton & Company, Inc., a management consulting company specializing in new product development.

Debbie Campbell ‘06 passed away after a lengthy battle with cancer on July 1, 2008. She served Concordia for nearly 15 years and held many roles and most recently as the nursing program coordinator. She is survived by her husband, David, two children, Annie and Des, and eight grandchildren.

Allison Davee ‘97 passed away on September 18, 2007. She was a teacher at Walt Morey Middle School in Troutdale, Ore.

Former Concordia librarian, Alma M. Dobberfuhl, passed away on February 18, 2008. She served as the head librarian for more than 35 years before retiring in 1988.

Cory Fleming ‘05 passed away in November 2007. The Rev. Paul L. Frank ‘69 passed away on October 24, 2007. He attended and graduated from Concordia High School, College, and Seminary. As a Lutheran pastor, he served churches in Fort Scott, Kan., Moses Lake, Wash., and Portland, Ore.

Gerald “Jerry” Gibbs ‘75 passed away on August 22, 2007 after a long battle with cancer. Jerry was the owner and CEO of Northwest Machine Works in Canby, Ore.

Daniel Harding ‘89 passed away on November 7, 2006. He was a veteran of the Vietnam War, and later became a real estate broker for US Funding Group.

Jim Kern ‘94 MBA ‘03 passed away on February 15, 2008. He worked for EPIC in Portland, Ore. for more than 24 years and most recently served as the marketing director.

Frank Koepke, longtime adjunct instructor in CU’s Theology program and pastor emeritus at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Sandy, Ore., passed away on May 18, 2008. He was able to attend the university’s graduation ceremony on May 3 to see his granddaughter receive her nursing degree.

Thomas R. Parker ‘68 died on March 4, 2008 and is survived by his wife of nearly 40 years, Linda, son, Fred, and daughters, Melissa King, Jessica Thurman, and Megan Zazueta. He was also the grandfather of nine grandchildren and “surrogate grandpa to many.”

Richard Phillips ‘92 passed away on November 14, 2007. Richard was a respiratory therapist for the Portland VA Medical Center in Portland, Ore. before becoming an administrator for Lincare.

John Sternberg, a Lutheran pastor and former Concordia University teacher, passed away on November 23, 2007.

Martin Stuebe HS ‘29 passed away on April 3, 2007. He attended parochial school and high school at Concordia, following in his father’s footsteps to become a Lutheran pastor. He served churches in Ohio, Wash., Idaho, and Okla.

Deanne Vogel ‘69 passed away on September 18, 2007. She lived in Albany, Ore., and worked as a teaching assistant in South Albany and Lebanon High Schools.

Linda Wehrspann ‘70 passed away on November 30, 2006. Linda taught elementary school, and was a music teacher in South Dakota, and in Roseburg and Portland, Ore. before serving as a literacy coach at Cedar Mill Elementary School in Beaverton, Ore.

August 23Grand Opening of the Bookstore

September 11Founder’s Day

October 4Cavalier Family Weekend

October 3-5Adidas XC High School Classic

October 18Alumni Basketball Games

October 26 Reformation Festival at Zion Lutheran Church - Portland

October 31/HalloweenResidence halls are open to the public for trick-or-treating

November 14-15Preview Weekend for high school seniors

November 16CU Sunday at Immanuel Lutheran Church-Portland

November 28-29Thrivent Northwest Invitational Basketball Tournament at PLU

December 5-7Christmas Chorale

January 24Lutheran Night

February 12-14 Lutheran Elementary School Tournament

Stay in the loop atwww.cu-portland.edu

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Most notable, junior thrower Annie Hess was given the NAIA’s Outstanding Performer Award after shattering the women’s discus meet record with a 192-7 toss. This record toss places Annie as the top collegiate thrower in the nation, and the eighth ranked thrower overall. With this placement, Annie competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials held in Eugene, but was not able to throw the distance needed to qualify for the Bejing Olympics. Overall the squads finished their regular season with a pair of team titles while hosting the CCC Championships at Mt. Hood Community College. The Concordia women cruised to a 229-point haul to runner-up Oregon Tech’s 187-point sum while the CU men gathered 238 ½ points for more than a 50-point spread over second place Eastern Oregon.

The CU women won 12 of the 21 total events and the men captured seven titles. Leading the way were Field Athletes of the Meet Nik Kay and Annie Hess. The duo continued their success at the NAIA Championships with wins in the discus at the national meet. The pair were joined by Greg Schultz, who won the men’s hammer throw after a runner-up result a year ago. With the three victories, Concordia now has eight national championship performers in three years of existence. With the team’s success, Concordia head coach Randy Dalzell was honored as the men’s and women’s NAIA Region I and CCC Coach of the Year. The Concordia golf teams also made appearances at the NAIA Championships with the women recording an 11th-place finish, and Tyler Austin representing the men as an individual. Lindsay Aho led the women’s contingent, tying for 13th place and earning All-Tournament status. Austin finished the tournament after three rounds, just missing the cut despite a 2-under 70 in his closing round.

Spring Sports Wrap-up The spring semester officially concluded with commencement on May 3, but the Cavalier runners, jumpers, and throwers were still on campus for several more weeks as the teams prepared to defend their Cascade Collegiate Conference crowns and gear up for appearances at the NAIA Outdoor Championships held outside of St. Louis from May 22 to 24.

After fighting for the final spot at the regional tournament, the Concordia baseball team once again faced the powerhouse Lewis-Clark State squad in postseason play. After dropping a decision to the Warriors, a Cavalier comeback bid against British Columbia came up short to end the CU season. Concordia finished in second place in the conference standings with a 10-8 league mark, trailing conference champion The College of Idaho. The Cavalier softball team found similar success on the diamond after compiling a 16-8 record in the CCC, second only to Oregon Tech, for a place at the Region I tournament. The two teams met in the opening round, where the Cavs spotted the

Owls two runs in the first and played even from there on to fall 7-5. Once again falling behind early, CU’s season came to an end with a 10-7 loss to Simon Fraser.

Annie Hess Jason Grisham

nicole Illias

tyler Austin

For a complete schedule of games go to:

gocugo.com

Navy & White

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Cavalier AwardsIt was another banner year for the Concordia athletic department as the Cavaliers hoisted six Cascade Collegiate Conference championships and continued to excel at the national stage. Out of 232 schools in the NAIA, Concordia took 26th in the NAIA Director's Cup. Along the way, 56 student-athletes were recognized as All-Conference, 14 were named NAIA Scholar-Athletes, and 17 concluded their seasons as NAIA All-Americans.

Concordia Team Finishes FallMen’s Cross Country – 8th CCC / 12th NAIA Region IWomen’s Cross Country – 7th CCC / 14th NAIA Region IMen’s Soccer – 1st CCC / NAIA Region I - FinalsWomen’s Soccer – 1st CCC / NAIA National Championship – QuarterfinalsVolleyball – 6th CCC

WinterMen’s Basketball – 5th CCCWomen’s Basketball – 5th CCC

Spring Baseball – 2nd CCC / 4th NAIA Region ISoftball – 2nd CCC / 4th NAIA Region IMen’s Golf – 1st CCC / 5th NAIA Region IWomen’s Golf – 1st CCC / 3rd NAIA Region I / NAIA Championships – 11thMen’s Track & Field – 1st CCC / NAIA Championships – 5th Women’s Track & Field – 1st CCC / NAIA Championships – 13th

Matt Artau – Track & FieldTim Badley – Track & FieldLucas Egenwall – Men’s SoccerJoe Givens – Men’s SoccerAnnie Hess – Track & FieldNik Kay – Track & FieldCurtis Parrish – Track & FieldAlex Ponce – Men’s SoccerJackie Pronovost – Women’s SoccerJustine Pronovost – Women’s SoccerJessica Ramback – Women’s SoccerPaul Roshau – Track & FieldErika Schmid – Track & FieldGreg Schultz – Track & FieldLauren Sexton – Track & FieldGarrett Staples – Men’s SoccerCaitlin Verhofstadt – Women’s Soccer

NAIA National ChampionsAnnie Hess – Track & Field / DiscusNik Kay – Track & Field / DiscusGreg Schultz – Track & Field / Discus

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Rachel Cotter – VolleyballErin Forge’t – Women’s SoccerKelsey Green – SoftballA.J. Lightheart – Men’s GolfJen Marquette – SoftballCasey McLeod – BaseballTyler Peake – Men’s SoccerJustine Pronovost – Women’s SoccerBen Rue – BaseballLisa Schmidt – Women’s GolfKim Tilton – Women’s GolfCaitlin Verhofstadt – Women’s SoccerAngie Woolhiser – Women’s Basketball

Jen Marquette

Lucas egenwall

paul roshau

Caitlin Verhofstadt

Navy & White

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Birkey Bounces Across the Atlantic for Unique Soccer Experiences Last March Concordia Head Men’s Soccer Coach Dan Birkey could be found roughly 10 degrees north of the equator, overlooking the Pacific Ocean while kicking around a soccer ball on a Costa Rican beach alongside his Cavaliers. A few months later, the same man was in front of 90,000 boisterous spectators as part of the Portsmouth Football Club, a member team of the English Premier League best known for world-famous clubs such as Manchester United, Chelsea, and Arsenal. From the sand of Central America to the overflowing stadiums throughout England, Birkey’s treks led to the reception and donation of numerous lessons on the beautiful game. The first expedition took place over Concordia’s Spring Break. With several current Cavs in tow, the voyagers combined humanitarian efforts with their gusto on the pitch for a few short days in Costa Rica sandwiched between Nicaragua to the north, Panama at its base, the powerful Pacific to the west and the Caribbean caressing its trunk from the east.

In between playing exhibition matches against local all-star teams from nearby towns Nicoya and Nosara, the Concordia contingent made appearances in local schools, assisting with math and language skills while playing the role of life-size ‘show and tell’ specimens. Along with exploring the landscape and experimenting with surfing, the group also participated in a beach clean-up project where the heat-weary numbers from Concordia gathered a mini-mountain of plastics and waste found alongside the once serene shore. “Half the group went north and half went south,” Birkey said. “I was impressed because they just kept working. They would come back some time later with massive black garbage sacks filled with trash. It was good to see the guys working hard.” For most of the team, the experience was the first outside the country. Junior goalkeeper Garrett Staples took the role of group translator while junior defender Tyler Peake may have received the most direct cultural experience with a 21-egg salute via a Costa Rican birthday tradition of a cracked egg on your head for each year you have been alive. As for the matches, Concordia settled for a scoreless result against the second-division professional team from Nicoya and a 1-1 tilt against the regional select players on the Nosara team. “The guys were tired, so absolutely legless and spent from the heat,” Birkey said. “The Costa Rican players brought a very physical approach,

more so than what we’d see at the college level. But the boys adapted and represented well. They showed a lot of pride and a lot of drive.” Short of a full squad, the Cavaliers picked up a few local players to complete the roster, adding to the curiosity of the local residents. “The region is full of really smart soccer fans and there was a lot of interest from the town as to what we were all about,” Birkey said. “At first there was a language issue with the additional players, but getting in there and playing the game bypasses that. There was definitely a mutual respect back and forth between the players.” From one coast to another, Birkey next took the 5,000-mile flight across the Atlantic, landing minutes from the English Channel to serve as an invited staffer for the Portsmouth Football Club, one of the 20 teams comprising the prestigious EPL.

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With the team enjoying a renaissance of success, Birkey arrived with the squad on the cusp of its first FA Cup final since 1939. From an insider’s perspective, Birkey was able to observe the structure and details of a successful organization at the upper most level of the professional ranks. From the coaching staff to the grounds crew to the dedicated nutritionists or the public relations branch, every segment of the organization had a specific task to perform and each was expected to carry out that duty on par with the team’s elite status. “You are talking about an organization that is measured over time and has stepped up to the new demands of a league that has gone global,” Birkey said. “Watching how they operate, you realize how important it is to delegate and have responsibilities assigned to certain people.” European cities like Portsmouth are completely immersed in their sports teams, more so than what we see in the United States. Even sports-minded American cities like Boston, Chicago, and New York are no comparison. “The history of football in England is deeply rooted into the culture,” Birkey said. “Portsmouth is not a big glamour city. It’s a blue-collar shipping town with a chip on its shoulder and their football team is on a short-list of things to be proud of. So when the team does well, it amounts to an amazing

historical event for the area.” The reason for the deep roots starts with the Premier Club, and trickles down throughout the club system that includes youth and women’s football teams as well as the support of other activities such as tennis and boating. The success of the parent team means increased exposure and funding for all of the programs under the team’s umbrella, meaning a championship win directly touches a large sector of the population. Birkey was immersed in training sessions and team meetings as the Portsmouth squad culminated its most successful run in 70 years by capturing its second FA Cup championship, an event that lured the entire city to erupt in wide-eyed bellowing merriments that would overwhelm Super Bowl and World Series celebrations stateside. In completing the triangle tour from Central America to Europe, Birkey was able to witness the sport he loves from the grassroots level to the echelon of the ultra-corporate. In each case, Birkey pointed out that the same characteristic drives the success of the task at hand. “At the end of the day whether you are out kicking the ball around on a beach or in the Premier League, the amazing thing is it’s about the quality and commitment of the people you are surrounded by,” Birkey said.

Coaches SidebarThe Concordia athletic department has enjoyed an incredible run of stability among its coaching ranks. The nine CU head coaches have totaled 81 seasons. Check out their stats:

Brad Barbarick Men’s basketball 15th season

Dan Birkey Men’s Soccer 21st season

Aaron Christian women’s basketball 3rd season

Randy Dalzell Cross Country/track & Field 4th season07-08 Cascade Collegiate Conference and NAIA Region I Men's & Women's Track & Field Coach of the Year

Christopher Duenow Volleyball 7th season

Ronn Grove Golf 2nd season07-08 Cascade Collegiate Conference Men's & Women's Golf Coach of the Year

Carrie Kosderka-Farrell Softball 6th season

Grant Landy women’s Soccer 12th season

Rob Vance baseball 11th season

Join the Team!Support Concordia

Athletics Year Round

At Concordia, we believe in shaping leaders who will transform the world around them. By becoming a Cavalier Club member, you provide scholarships, equipment, and program support to make student-athletes' dreams come true. Join the team today, or gift a membership to someone special, at gocugo.com or email cavalierclub@cu-portland.edu!

Go Cavs Go!

5 0 3 - 2 8 0 - 8 5 0 5 | W W W. G O C U G O . C O M

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Barbarick Invited to Hawaii for Annual Basketball Camp

As an invited coach at the 2008 Hawaii High School Basketball Exposure Camp, Cavalier head coach Brad Barbarick gave Concordia hoops exposure of its own

while working with the best players from the Aloha State. Barbarick was one of six coaches who worked the six-day camp held in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island. Along with games, the players were exposed to instructional clinics and sessions to improve their individual skills and understanding of the team game. Away from coaching the camp’s runner-up squad, Barbarick spoke with the 53 student-athletes about the recruiting process in terms of

continuing the sport at the collegiate level, a vital message to the listeners as many outstanding players from the state are overlooked due to its remote location. “I got a chance to speak to the players and had the chance to really put Concordia and NAIA basketball on the radar of several good prospects,” Barbarick said. “The kids were very appreciative of the opportunity as most weren’t used to playing in front of college coaches.

Not many coaches have the budget to recruit in Hawaii.” Starting at 8 a.m. and continuing through 11 p.m., the campers and coaches alike stayed motivated despite the long hours and work put into the project. “Anytime you get a chance to do something new you pick things up from the experience,” Barbarick said. “I came back very excited to

start our season. It’s refreshing to go into an environment you like and demand excellence from the young team and receive it.”

2008 Champions of Character Banquet Award Winners Highlighting the evening ceremonies for the 2008 Concordia Champions of Character Banquet were the winners of the University’s Athlete of the Year, Senior Athlete of the Year, Scholar-Athlete Award, and Champion of Character. After inspiring words from keynote speaker

Mark Speckman, head football coach for Willamette University, CU announced and honored the award recipients. Recognized as the 2007-08 Concordia Scholar-Athletes of the Year for their outstanding work

in the classroom were senior Jesse Alvarez (men’s basketball) and Caitlin Verhofstadt (women’s soccer). Concordia’s Athlete of the Year awards went to the track and field All-American duo of Annie Hess and Tim Badley. Capturing the school’s

Senior Athlete of the Year awards were Cody Aker (men’s basketball) and Annele Huckins (softball) while the school’s representatives for the NAIA’s Champions of Character program were Aker and Jenn Hart (women’s soccer).

Cody Aker

tim badley

Jenn Hart

Summer 2008 33

How can we, as Lutherans, live out our faith meaningfully and effectively? How can our Lutheran voice have a positive impact on the overall Christian witness within our communities and our region? These are important questions. Why? One in four people living in the Pacific Northwest claim “none” as their religious preference on surveys.1 Within this rich mission field, challenges abound for the entire priesthood of believers. Also, the Lutheran perspective is all but missing in public discourse. A recent quantification of religious web sites found the Lutheran presence to be a fraction of other religious organizations. Concordia’s mission is to prepare leaders who will truly transform society. This includes the transformation of our ministry and witness. As a Lutheran university in the Pacific Northwest, we are responsible for engaging church workers and lay leaders in wrestling with and finding answers to these critical questions. To this end, Concordia University and the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod Northwest District are partnering to create The Center for Applied Lutheran Leadership (CALL). CALL’s purpose is to provide programming, leadership, and partnerships to create vibrant congregations focused on their mission. We are excited about this new joint venture. CALL’s vision is to focus on three pinnacle programs: Leadership Enhancement, Missions, and the Spiritual Formation of Youth.

leADersHip eNHANcemeNt Building on the existing Leadership Advancement Process, CALL will expand resources, programming and partnerships to nurture the leadership gifts within the

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priesthood of believers to enhance the effectiveness of their ministries within congregations, schools, and church agencies. Specific programming will flow out of the critical ministry needs they identify.

missiONs Building on Concordia’s Missions Institute and other ethnic ministry efforts, CALL will support local, regional, and international mission activities, providing students, lay leaders, and church workers an opportunity to enhance their skills in establishing and implementing mission activities.

spirituAl FOrmAtiON OF yOutH Building on Concordia’s Campus Spiritual Life ministry and other youth ministry efforts, CALL will provide meaningful and effective spiritual formation of youth and young adults on our campus and throughout the Pacific Northwest. CALL’s vision is large! But I find it exciting and I’m passionate about promoting it. My prayer is that you will catch the vision, too, becoming a passionate promoter of CALL. For, by God’s grace, CALL will have a significant impact on our ministry together here in the Pacific Northwest and beyond!

Jim Pressnell Director of Church Relations

1 “Religion and Public Life in the Pacific Northwest: The None Zone,” edited by Patricia O’Connell

Killen and Mark Silk, 2004.

The None Zone,” edited by Patricia O’Connell Killen and Mark Silk, 2004.

Nailed to the Door provides Concordia staff, faculty, alumni, and students a forum for editorial comment. This month’s guest writer is Jim Pressnell, Director of Church Relations.

What does it mean to be Lutheran in the 21st Centuryin the Pacific Northwest?

non-proFItorGAnIZAtIon

u.S. poStAGe pAIdportLAnd, orperMIt #6542811 ne Holman Street portland, oregon 97211-6099

n April 11, something amazing happened at Concordia University. The University, located

in northeast Portland, broke ground on the

George R. White Library and Learning Center

that will become a hub for the campus and

community. The Center will provide community

meeting spaces, faculty offices, classrooms,

important centers of learning, a coffee house,

and a library card for neighborhood residents.

You will be a welcome guest when we open the

doors in the Fall of 2009.

Watch us grow. Be a part. www.cu-portland.edu/campaign

Transformation

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