Concordia College

2008 Homecoming Banquet Remarks

At Concordia, all Homecomings are wonderful.  There just aren’t very many places left that do it up the way we do.  One of the high points for me -- always -- is the opportunity to meet and celebrate the accomplishments of the Alumni Achievement Award recipients.  I learn so much from them about what “influencing the affairs of the world” looks like in flesh and blood and about what it is we do here that prepares people for that.
 
Thank you honorees for your pursuit of vocations that make your alma mater so proud:
Charley (Johnson ’72), for your service to the Red River Valley as a trusted source of television and radio news;
Dianne (Larson Kimm ’60), for your dedication to the resettlement of refugees from Somalia, Bosnia and Russia;
Ordean (Oen ’49), for your distinguished career as a research physicist at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee.
 
This particular Homecoming is very special because it marks the successful completion of the Knutson Campus Center project. When we dedicate it on Sunday morning, we will be celebrating more than a building.  We will be dedicating both a symbol of, and instrument for, building our life as a community.
 
And there is much more to celebrate.
 

• Close to the top of the list for Cobber athletics fans may well be the Sept. 20th football team win over St. John's. It was only the third time in the past 20 years that the Cobbers have beaten St. John's in Collegeville. … AND the women's soccer team win over Macalester on Oct. 7th, marking the first time in 15 years that Macalester had lost at home to an MIAC opponent.     

• We exceeded our enrollment goals for a second straight year and further increased the academic profile of the freshman class. And for the first time in history – or Director of Admissions Scott Ellingson’s memory – everyone we had on the list showed up.
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• Concordia has again earned national recognition for its leadership in global education. The Institute of International Education ranks Concordia ninth among all U.S. baccalaureate institutions in the number of students studying abroad.
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• We are in the process of developing a School of Business.  The idea is to create a “destination” program that has a liberal arts foundation and a global reach that focuses on preparing ethical business leaders. Our founding Dean, Greg Cant, brings an impressive international resume and the leadership acumen necessary to make it happen.
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• We now have a dynamic duo in campus ministry.  Campus Pastor Tim Megorden ’69 brings a host of spiritual gifts and creative vision to that task.  His experience engaging students in active ministry was clearly evident last year. This year, we welcomed our second campus pastor, Rev. Tessa Moon Leiseth ’92 who brings equal energy and wonderfully complementary gifts.
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• And, after concluding that Ernie Mancini could never be “replaced” – we are delighted to have a new Alumni Director.  Karen Carlson ’80 comes back to us from California after 23 years of alumni relations experience, 19 of which were at Cal Tech.  More importantly, she brings genuine passion for her alma mater and deep connections with our alumni family.

 
At this point in the history of Concordia College we are at one of those rare "cusp" moments where what we do now will have significant impact on our future.
 
As we look ahead to the end of this decade we have concluded that we must address four major challenges:

• We need to embody Concordia’s brand of excellence in academic programs like music that can be a draw for students from a distance.
• We must ensure that the whole Concordia experience expresses our mission as a college of the church in a way that is lively, unmistakable and welcoming to others. And we must prepare our graduates to live our mission.
• We need to figure out how we sustain our successful efforts to attract students who will thrive here as well as acquire sufficient revenue to provide excellent programs.
• And we must nurture the next generation of leaders and donors who will support our next phase of development.

 
All that is challenging enough. But we have to accomplish those tasks in today’s economic climate that almost defies description. The most difficult aspect of it is uncertainty.  What we do know, and it has been verified for us through the comprehensive research that Art & Science Group has done for us, is that we have something special here, we are poised to move forward from a position of strength. 

In their report they highlighted aspects of the Concordia experience that, if we make them clear in all our messages - and we deliver them for all students - can draw even more strong students. They are: extraordinary Cobber spirit and community, commitment to our ELCA foundation and all that entails in terms of an examined life of faith and values, and our global emphasis – inside and outside the classroom. Their research validated that our ideas and work thus far are ripe for coalescing into forceful and fruitful action.
 
We must build on the strong momentum that is evident across the campus this fall in order to realize our vision.  To do that, we need your help!  We need you to tell Concordia’s story, through your words and your lives. We need you to encourage the young people in your family and your church, and your neighborhood to visit campus and see if Concordia is the right fit.
 
Our awardees tonight are evidence of how Concordia has functioned as a leadership incubator. And we will nurture the next generation of leaders for our businesses, for our country and for our church.  This couldn’t be a more important calling.  With God’s help and yours, we will succeed.
 
Soli Deo Gloria