Interim President Dr. Paul J. Dovre
On March 21, 2011, the Concordia College Board of Regents voted unanimously to name Dr. William J. Craft president-elect of the college. He will be the 11th president in Concordia's 120-year history. He will begin his duties as president on July 11, 2011.Dr. Paul J. Dovre served as president of Concordia College from 1975 until his retirement in 1999. Previously he served the college as a faculty member and academic vice president.
He was appointed interim president after Dr. Pamela Jolicoeur, the college's 10th president, died June 9, 2010. Dr. Dovre also served as interim president for the college in 2003-04.
He came to Concordia from Northwestern University in 1963 where he had served as a member of the faculty and earned his master’s and doctorate degrees. Since his retirement from Concordia, he has remained active in higher education through prominent roles as a visiting scholar at Harvard University, interim dean of students at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., and interim president at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio.
Dr. Dovre has published a number of articles in his academic field, speech communication. A book of his homilies titled "Holy Restlessness: Reflections on Faith and Learning" was published in 2009. He has served as president of the Lutheran Educational Conference of North America, chair of the Council of College Presidents of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), vice chair of the Council of Independent Colleges, and member of the board of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. Community activities include the United Way, the Moorhead Rotary and the Tri-College University.
The government of Norway designated Dr. Dovre Knight, First Class, of the Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav, which is awarded for "outstanding merit for the country or for humanity.” In the fall of 1986 President Dovre was named one of 100 college presidents identified by their peers as being among the most effective chief executive officers in higher education. Dr. Dovre holds honorary degrees from Capital University and Luther, Wartburg, St. Olaf and Concordia Colleges.
Dr. Dovre grew up on a farm near Porter, Minn. He graduated from Canby High School and earned his B.A. degree from Concordia College in 1958 following service in the United States Army. Dr. Dovre is married to Mardeth (Bervig) Dovre. They have two children, Erik and Louise.
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