Researchers Receive Lupus Foundation Grant

Dr. Susan Larson, associate professor of psychology, and Dr. Krystle Strand, assistant professor of biology, received a $30,000 grant from the Lupus Foundation of Minnesota to continue their lupus research. The grant was awarded for their study measuring differential gene regulation in lupus-prone mice to help identify molecular predictors of disease progression. They’ll be using the funding for a part-time technician and supplies.

The symptoms of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE or lupus) are many. It is difficult to diagnose and no single test can be used. Research suggests the disease has both genetic and environmental components, but treatment regimes remain generalized due to lack of understanding of the causes. Comparing lupus mice to control mice, they will be able to determine if there is differential gene expression between lupus-prone animals and controls at a young age, before evidence of the disease state, and whether certain genes are mediating symptoms of SLE. The result of their research may help identify potential predictors of the disease progression and result in more specific treatment targets.

Dovre's Book Available Soon

Dr. Paul Dovre’s latest book, "The Cross and the Academy" will be published this spring.

The book is a collection of occasional papers and presentations that he gave between 1975 and 2009. The works are on the subject of church-related higher education and grow out of Dovre’s lifetime commitment to Lutheran colleges. His analysis also extends to the intersections of church and society.

Dovre served as president of Concordia College from 1975 until his retirement in 1999. He has served as interim president in 2010-11 and 2003-04.

When available, the book may be purchased at www.CobberBookstore.com.

Schultz Lectures at Getty Museum

Dr. Peter Schultz, chair of the art department, presented a lecture at the world-famous J. Paul Getty Museum near Los Angeles in December.

It was just the latest in an ambitious schedule of academic lectures he is invited to give each year in the U.S. and abroad.

"It was a great honor to represent Concordia at this great venue," Schultz says. "The Getty Museum is a guardian of some of the world’s greatest art and attracts a very diverse and knowledgeable audience. At the same time, my toughest audiences are always here, where it is always harder to impress smart students and an elite group of professors."

At the Getty, Schultz explored the ways in which Hellenistic rulers transformed themselves into "gods," specifically how Philip of Macedonia (the father of Alexander the Great) used architecture and sculpture to transform his image into one that was "divine" after a key military victory over the Athenians in the middle fourth century B.C.

Concordia Choir to Tour South Korea

In May 2011, The Concordia Choir will travel to South Korea, which has taken a leading role in the advancement of choral music into the 21st century.

In addition to absorbing this rich culture through travel, The Concordia Choir will share concerts and collaborate with several professional and university choirs.

"I'm personally excited because it's our first tour to South Korea and because of the cultural interchange with the number of impressive choirs in which we’ll be working," Dr. René Clausen says.

The choir will perform "Me-Na-Ri" for the composer, Hyo-Won-Woo, who is one of the country's leading composers of contemporary music and has been the composer-in-residence for the Incheon City Chorale since 1999.

"Traveling abroad is valuable as it is, but sharing our musical gifts with the people of South Korea will be worth more than I can imagine," says Chris Banken '13, Blaine, Minn.

National Book Awards at Concordia

Jaimy Gordon and John W. Dower were the featured guests at the sixth annual National Book Awards at Concordia March 24-25.

The Readings and Conversation event was hosted by National Public Radio’s Neal Conan.

Gordon is the author of “Lord of Misrule,” the 2010 National Book Award winner for fiction. The most recent of her three previous novels, "Bogeywoman," was on the Los Angeles Times list of Best Fiction of 2000.

Dower is the author of "Cultures of War," a 2010 National Book Award nonfiction finalist. He won the National Book Award in 1999 for "Embracing Defeat."

Honored for Service

Five faculty and administrators will retire from the college this year.

They include:

Dr. Gerald Van Amburg joined Concordia’s biology faculty in 1969 and served as professor and chair of the department. He earned a Bachelor of Science in botany in 1964 and an M.S. in botany in 1965 from Fort Hays Kansas State University (then College), Hays, Kan. He earned his Ph.D. in range science with an emphasis in ecology from Texas A&M University in 1969.

Amburg worked as a research assistant at Texas A&M from 1966-69, as a sales representative in the agricultural chemistry division of Geigy Chemical Corporation from 1965-66 and as instructor in the department of biological sciences at Fort Hays Kansas State from 1960-65 while working on his degrees.

During his tenure at Concordia, Van Amburg spent a year in Nigeria from 1970-71 as a representative of the International Atomic Energy Agency and adviser to the Nigerian government in setting up a grassland research project. He also led numerous biology travel seminars across the U.S. and around the world. In 1997 he led the India semester program and in 2003 he was faculty co-leader for a semester-long honorary academic program in Greece.

Since 1980 Van Amburg has focused on the area of watershed management and helped establish the International Water Institute in 2000. He also serves as director of one of the institute’s two centers. During retirement Van Amburg plans to maintain his activities in local affairs and hopes to do some traveling.

Bruce Houglum graduated from Concordia in 1968, with a Bachelor of Music degree. In 1971, he graduated with a Master of Music degree in horn performance and conducting from Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill.

After serving as director of music at public schools in Illinois and Minnesota, Houglum served as the director of orchestras for Moorhead Public Schools from 1972 to 1981. He also worked as director of orchestras for Fargo (N.D.) South High School for 14 years.

Houglum began his career at Concordia working part time as horn instructor in 1973. He was appointed interim instructor of music in 1995 and was named to the position of conductor of The Concordia Orchestra in 1996. He also served as associate professor in the music department, teaching instrumental conducting and horn lessons for music performance majors. Each holiday season, Houglum was heavily involved with the Concordia Christmas Concerts.

As a hornist he served as principal horn of several orchestras including the Chicago Chamber Players and the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony. He was an active guest conductor, festival conductor, adjudicator and clinician.

Houglum received numerous teaching awards, including North Dakota Music Educator of the Year in 1991 and has been honored several times by inclusion in "Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers" and "Who’s Who Among America’s Musicians."

Houglum was well-loved by his students over the years. He was recently surprised by a multi-generational group of 23 alumni and student horn players at the Pops and Popcorn concert with a loving tribute performance of one of his favorite pieces.

Houglum plans to continue working during retirement, spending time in the Minnesota lake country and with his grandchildren in Fargo, Chicago and Nashville.

Linda Swanson graduated from MSU Moorhead in 1970 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She was the Bookmobile librarian for Lake Agassiz Regional Library, Moorhead, from 1975 to 1987 when she joined the Carl B. Ylvisaker Library as circulation manager. While at Concordia, she earned a Master of Library Science from Emporia State University, Emporia, Kan., in 1994 and a Master of Liberal Arts from MSUM in 2004.

Swanson was catalog librarian from 1994-99, access services librarian from 1999-2005 and she has been the information management coordinator since 2005.

She was on the boards of trustees for a number of years for Lake Agassiz Regional Library, the Moorhead Public Library and the Northern Lights Library Network. Swanson was a student adviser for more than six years for first- and second-year students and she led a May Seminar to Tanzania in 2001.

Swanson looks forward to traveling and spending more time with her grandchildren. She also plans to volunteer with the new Americans in the Fargo-Moorhead community.

Robert Kohler was hired in 1986 and worked as an assistant men’s basketball coach during the 1986-87 season while teaching in Detroit Lakes, Minn. He went full time in 1987, taking over for Finn Grinaker, adding assistant football coach, teaching and advising to his duties. He was the head women’s basketball coach from 1992 until the middle of the 1995-96 season when he took over as assistant coach until 1997-98. He
returned to the assistant women’s basketball coaching position from 2002 to 2006.

Kohler wore many different hats during his 24 years at Concordia including selling thousands of dollars worth of ads every year for the athletics programs, organizing half-time entertainment and supervising student teachers. The biggest void he will leave in the department is in the caregiving he displayed to students. “I tried to never say no to any student in need,” Kohler says. His door was always open and frequently filled with students.

Kohler earned a Bachelor of Science in physical education from Valley City State University in 1969 and a master’s degree in health, physical education and coaching from Northern State University, Aberdeen, S.D., in 1986.

He plans to keep busy in retirement. He’ll continue to sell ads for the athletics office in the summer and he plans on working at the family farm, substitute teaching andcoaching basketball. He’ll also be spending time with his granddaughter, Quinilan.

Dr. Thomas Hiestand graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics and economics from Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, in 1967 and a doctorate in economics from Kansas State University in 1974.

Hiestand began his career at Concordia College as an assistant professor of business and economics in 1972. He received numerous awards over the years and is a member of several professional associations. He retires as associate professor of economics in the Offutt School of Business. He was a key figure in the development of the International Business program and has held the position of program director since 2005 as well as 1982-2002. He was chair of business and economics in 1978-84.

Hiestand has taught business stats, a class that has a reputation for being very difficult, to more than 4,500 students since 1974, giving personal attention to those struggling with the class. Colleagues say, there were no easy A’s or excuses for nonperformance; he set high standards. Many students are thankful not only because he helped them through difficult subjects, but also helped them fall in love with the economics/finance industry. He profoundly impacted the lives of numerous students, causing some to abandon a previous major and switch to business.

Multimedia Journalism Major Added

A degree in multimedia journalism will be an option for students beginning this fall. The new interdisciplinary program responds to changes in the world of journalism and will combine coursework from the departments of art, communication studies and English. Students who major in multimedia journalism will also be able to pursue a second major in any of the three component majors.

Reporting and writing skills will be stressed in the program. Students will be encouraged to gain hands-on experience through internships and cocurricular opportunities like KORD radio, Concordia On-Air television and The Concordian newspaper.

"The multimedia journalism program is a very exciting addition to the curriculum at Concordia, because it recognizes the changing nature of the world of communication and information. Convergence of media is here, and our students need to be able to engage that world fully as journalists," says Dr. Donald Rice, program director and committee chair.

Other committee members are Dr. Peter Schultz, art, and Catherine McMullen, English.

Hookworm Research Published in Yale Journal of Medicine

Assistant professor of biology Dr. Jennifer Bath and her team of five student researchers had their article, "The Impact of Perception and Knowledge on the Treatment and Prevention of Intestinal Worms in the Manikganj District of Bangladesh," published in the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine.

The team of five student researchers, Peace Eneh '11, Amanda Bakken '10, Megan Knox '10, Michael Schiedt '10 and Jarryd Campbell '11, traveled with Bath last summer to conduct surveys of the Bangladeshi people in partnership with Independent University, Bangladesh.

They sought to discover what the people knew about intestinal parasites and their prevention. Their findings showed that they had knowledge about the worms but were having difficulty preventing them. They hope that the development of a vaccine could aid the Bangladeshi people.

"Vaccines don’t have to change whole cultures," Eneh says. "We can help them keep their culture and protect them against deadly parasites."

Concordia Language Villages Awarded Grant

Concordia Language Villages was awarded a nearly $300,000 grant from STARTALK for its summer of professional development programs for teachers of Arabic, Chinese and Russian. The grant also includes scholarships to students and professional development to teachers of Portuguese. This is the fifth summer the Language Villages has received funding from STARTALK.

"The competition for funding has become increasingly competitive. The goal of STARTALK is to have programs in all 50 states," says Donna Clementi, director of education and research for Concordia Language Villages.

STARTALK began in 2007 with the intent to expand and improve the teaching and learning of strategically important world languages that are not widely taught in the U.S. Its mission is to increase the number of Americans learning, speaking and teaching critically needed foreign languages by offering students (K-16) and teachers of these languages creative and engaging summer experiences. More information is available at www.ConcordiaLanguageVillages.org.