2007-08 Academic Catalog	home FAQs request

Fargo-Moorhead — The Larger Community

Location: Moorhead, Minn., and Fargo, N.D., separated by the Red River of the North, are full of places to go, things to do, and people to meet. With a metropolitan-area population of nearly 175,000, the two cities offer the convenience of small-town living with many of the advantages of the big city. Minneapolis-St. Paul is only 250 miles southeast on Interstate 94; Winnipeg, Manitoba, is 250 miles to the north. Rich farmland, beautiful lake country and pine forests are just minutes away.

Universities: During the regular academic year, Concordia’s resources are enhanced by two other universities within the cities’ limits: North Dakota State University in Fargo and Minnesota State University Moorhead. Together, these three schools form a consortium called Tri-College University, a system that triples the number of courses available to area students and provides transportation by shuttle bus to the other two campuses. The colleges bring in noted concert artists, lecturers, and art exhibits each year. Conventions, tournaments, and athletic games add variety to life in Fargo-Moorhead.

Shopping Centers: Both Moorhead and Fargo have many indoor shopping centers as well as downtown shopping malls. Moorhead’s shopping areas are within walking distance of Concordia.

Medical Facilities: Located only minutes from Concordia’s campus are three hospitals and numerous clinics; roughly 375 physicians and surgeons practice in the Fargo-Moorhead area.

Cultural Opportunities: The Fargo-Moorhead area is rich in cultural and recreational opportunities. The Heritage-Hjemkomst Interpretive Center expresses the history of the Red River Valley through exhibits, speakers, and the display of the Hjemkomst Viking ship, which sailed to Norway in 1982. For music lovers, the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony presents classical and pops concerts during the school year; the Fargo-Moorhead Opera regularly brings in famous vocalists to star in leading roles; and the Fargo-Moorhead Master Chorale, composed of area musicians, presents a series of concerts. The Fargodome hosts athletic events and headline entertainment. Cobbers like to ice skate indoors at the Fargo Coliseum or Moorhead Sports Arena, cross-country ski at one of the nearby parks, attend theatrical productions at the F-M Community Theatre, and watch dance recitals performed by  F-M dance companies. The Plains Art Museum and Rourke Art Gallery offer regular shows and special courses. At the Fargo and Moorhead public libraries, students may attend special film showings, hear live chamber music and jazz ensembles or listen to poetry readings.

Bicycle Trails: Both Fargo and Moorhead offer miles of bicycle trails within the city; many of these trails follow the Red River and wind through parks. In the fall and spring, these grassy areas are great places to “get away from it all.”

Other Entertainment: Many movie theatres, roller- and ice-skating rinks, and public and commercial radio and TV stations offer other possibilities for leisure activities. Concordia has a daily e-newsletter, C-News Today, that provides daily and weekly listings of events on campus. A free weekly community publication, Valley Midweek Marketplace, has short summaries of community events. The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead is the daily newspaper. Since 1971, Concordia has been the home of KCCM, the first outstate station established by Minnesota Public Radio. Located in the Outreach Center, KCCM-KCCD plays 24 hours of classical music and public affairs programming.

Transportation: Daily bus transportation operates throughout Fargo-Moorhead. For information on Tri-College University bus service and free evening and Sunday-morning service to Concordia students, see the “Student Life in the Academic Community” section of the catalog. In addition, 24-hour taxicab service is available. Hector International Airport in Fargo serves both Moorhead and Fargo citizens with its regularly scheduled Northwest Airlines, United Express and Delta flights. Greyhound Bus Lines, served by a terminal in Fargo, stops in downtown Moorhead and operates a charter-bus service for organizational trips. The Amtrak railway system operates a station at Broadway and Fifth Avenue in Fargo.