Concordia College

June 2005

Greetings to the Cobbers of the Class of 1995:

It is that time again for the “annual” Concordia College Class Letter.  A warm and joyous summer greeting to all of you and your families!  It is hard to believe that yet another year has gone by so quickly.  I hope that all of you had a great 2004 and that 2005 will be even better.

There are many exciting things happening at Concordia right now!  The college just inaugurated Dr. Pamela Jolicoeur as the 10th president.  In addition, the college is currently in the middle of one of its biggest campaigns, which includes a much needed campus center, which will serve as the college’s Cobber gathering place for all students.  Read more about Concordia’s campus center in the Cobber X-tra, which is included with this letter.  In addition, please consider recommending Concordia to a prospective college student.  It is still one of the best private, Lutheran, small liberal arts colleges in the country.

Class of 1995:  10-Year Class Reunion…

Mark your calendars for September 30-October 2, 2005!

It is truly hard to believe, that it has been ten years since we graduated from Concordia.  I still remember the Sunday afternoon of our graduation on April 30, 1995.  It was a warm, mildly-windy and overcast day on the Moorhead Plains.  Memorial Auditorium was packed with family, friends, faculty, administrators, as well as current and former Cobbers.  We all relished the opportunity to “flip” over our tassels and also turn our Cobber rings around, so that the “C” faced the opposite direction.  It was hard to imagine leaving the special place of Concordia, a place where we had shared four special years of college.  However, we were all very excited about the future and what it would hold for all of us.

With all that said, joining in the ten year reunion festivities is a must!  Things have changed at the college, yet many of the same traditions, like Homecoming, have stayed the same.  Please come home to celebrate Homecoming 2005, “Sweeter with Time”.  The theme this year is so fitting for Concordia, and what it means to all of us both when we were college students in the 1990’s and now as alums.

REUNION ITINERARY:

First Decade Reunion* (90’s-00’s grads) at 9:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. on Fri., Sept. 30, 2005 at the Plains Art Museum in downtown Fargo.

10-Year Reunion Breakfast* at 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., on Sat., Oct. 1, 2005, on campus.

10-Year Reunion Get-Together at 7:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m., on Sat., Oct. 1, 2005, at the “Red Bear Grill & Tavern” in Moorhead.

Saturday, October 1:  The morning starts early with our reunion breakfast*.  The breakfast will be at 9:00 a.m. on campus and we will have a couple of hours to reminisce about the college days and catch-up with one another, until we head to watch the parade down 8th Street.  After the parade, the football game features the Cobbers against Gustavus.

Our formal reunion celebration will be at the “RED BEAR GRILL AND TAVERN” in Moorhead.  For those of you who have not been to the Red Bear Grill in Moorhead, it is a cozy “up-north” themed restaurant, where food and beverages will be available.  It is conveniently located on 1st Avenue in Moorhead, close by the Moorhead Center Mall and within walking distance of many other food and beverage establishments.  Many of our favorite places while students at Concordia College are nearby as well.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!          MARK YOUR CALENDARS!         

                            When:                 Saturday, October 1, 2005

                            Time:                  7:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m.

                            Where:              “Red Bear Grill and Tavern”

                                                        700 1st Avenue North

                                                        Moorhead, MN  56561-0918

                                                        (218) 287-0080

                                                        www.redbeargrill.com

Note:  There are portable heaters on the patio, so if it is a cool night, we will be kept warm with the outdoor heaters on the patio, as well as the inside gazebo area.  Come rain or shine.  It will be a wonderful time to see classmates and to visit and catch-up on what has happened over the last ten years.

Sunday, October 2:  Festival worship and the annual Homecoming Concert round out a weekend of celebrations.

*Ticketed events. Tickets are currently on sale and may be purchased by mail or on the alumni web site at www.ConcordiaCollege.edu/alumni.

Accommodations:  If you require accommodations for Homecoming, I recommend you make a reservation.

              For your convenience blocks of rooms have been reserved at the following:

1.           Ramada Plaza Suites and Convention Center

              1635 42nd Street SW

              Fargo, N.D.  58104

              (701) 277-9000

              www.ramadafargo.com

              *   A block of 10 rooms have been reserved, under “CONCORDIA CLASS OF ‘95”.

*   Rooms range in price from $81.00 - $91.00 per night.

              *  Rooms are reserved for 9/30/2005 – 10/01/2005.

              *  Any remaining rooms will be released to the general public on  8/30/2005.

2.           Days Inn and Conference Center

600 30th Avenue South

Moorhead, MN  56560

(218) 287-7100

www. daysinn.com

*  A block of 10 rooms have been reserved under “CONCORDIA CLASS OF ‘95”.

*  Rooms range in price from $69.00 - $75.00 per night.

*  Rooms are reserved for 9/30/2005 – 10/01/2005.

*  Any remaining rooms will be released to the general public on August 31, 2005.

Class Web Site

Our class web site is now online at www.ConcordiaCollege.edu/1995.  Here you can find the latest on our reunion plans and see how we are doing in the annual class challenge.  Everyone, please feel free to submit photos of our “years at Concordia” to the web site as well. 

Class Challenge Information:

Participation, participation, participation!  When it comes to giving to our alma mater, this is what it is all about, participation.  For ranking organizations like U.S. News & World Report and for grant making foundations, the percentage of the alumni who give back to Concordia College is an important factor in their decision.  Each and every gift, no matter the size makes an impact on that percentage.  So remember, it is not what you give, but that you give!  Every gift makes a difference.

Our Class Challenge was a bit higher than the statistics in 2004, in that we had a total of 115 participants out of a class size of 521.  Our participation rate is at 22% and our yearly giving total for the 2004-2005 fiscal year, is $10,230.47.  Let’s strive to meet 30% participation over the next fiscal year.  Remember, Concordia’s fiscal year runs from May 1-April 30 of each year.

The Loss of  a Dear Friend and Cobber

Our friend and fellow classmate, Janel (Nygard) Gubeno passed away on Saturday, March 19, 2005, from a tough struggle with a cancerous brain tumor.  She had been living in Michigan with her husband of six years, Jason and her 2 year old son, Hunter.  Prior to her struggle with cancer, Janel had been employed with Delta Dental of Michigan, where she worked as a National Account Service Manager.  Janel has many family members and friends who survive her.  She was a special lady and Cobber who will be fondly remembered by those of the class of 1995 who knew her and whose lives she touched. 

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, in memory of Janel Gubeno, at Capital Area Service Center, 1755 Abbey Road, East Lansing, MI  48823 or Hospice of the Red River Valley, 1701 38th Street SW, Suite #201, Fargo, ND  58103.

Class Note Information for the last year:

All classmates are encouraged to send in Class Notes about recent updates:  births, marriage, promotions, etc.

Cobbers in the News:

Sara Bailey, Oakland, Calif., was accepted into the Trinity Fellows Program at Marquette University, Milwaukee; she is working toward a master’s degree in history.

Heather Faulkner, Minneapolis, is a 2005 recipient of the American Marshall Memorial Fellowship; she is director of communications at ShopNBC, Eden Prairie. 

Beth Stone-Smith, Bakersfield, Calif., is program director for USDA’s Western Region glassy-winged sharpshooter program, an insect pest being combated in California that transmits Pierce’s Disease.

Camri (Bauck) Jacobson, Joplin, Mo., has written the nonfiction book “What a Woman Wants: A Collection of Everyday Dreams & Desires,” published by AuthorHouse.

Meg Gillio, Tuscon, Ariz., is an ESL specialist at Central Arizona College in Coolidge.

Erik Kiesz, Sioux Falls, S.D., is a programmer/analyst at Citicards in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Matthew Philaya, Moorhead, received a Master of Divinity degree from Luther Seminary, was ordained in June 2004 and received his first call at Trinity Lutheran Church as a pastoral resident.

Jay Wiesner, Shakopee, Minn., was ordained and has accepted a call as associate pastor at Bethany Lutheran Church in Minneapolis.

Jennifer (Bergem) Thoreson, Fargo, N.D., received a master’s degree in social work from the U of Minnesota.

Monette (Poessnecker) Jo, Broomfield, Colo., is the assistant store manager at Kohl’s Department Store in Longmont.

Kristen Dalen, Springfield, Mass., is the volunteer coordinator at Springfield City Library.

Honor: Brian Weisgram, Aurora, Colo., received a full scholarship for a master’s degree in acute care nursing from the U.S. Army and will study at the U of Colorado Health Science Center; he is a critical care registered nurse and a captain in the U.S. Army.

Cobber Newlyweds:

Leah Pavek married Brian Carpenter in November 2004; they live in Eden Prairie, Minn.

Erik Kiesz to Candy Volkers, Sioux Falls, S.D., in September 2004.

Tammy Kittelson to Brandon Ray; they live in Queen Creek, Ariz.

Matthew Linkert to Janet Denenny in March 2004; they live in Mound, Minn.

Heather Agnew to Robert Craig in February 2004; they live in Harpersville, Ala.

Jennifer Boser married Theodore Beaudry in October 2004; they live in Maple Grove, Minn.

Bouncing Baby Cobbers:

Birth: Shelley (Block) and Jeffrey ’96 Henry, Plainview, Minn., welcomed a girl, Claire, in December 2004.

Birth: Karen (Brubakken) and Jason ’96 Hill, Janesville, Wis., welcomed a boy, Collin, in December 2004.

Birth: Rebecca (Hall) and Mark Kapphahn, Forest Lake, Minn., welcomed a girl, Katie, in December 2004.

Birth: Jana (Johnson) and Eric Johnson, Sauk Rapids, Minn., welcomed a boy, Connor, in March 2005.

Birth: Sarah (Jones) and Joseph Gardenghi, Catonsville, Md., welcomed a girl, Sophia, in September 2004.

Birth: Lisa and Ben Koppelman, Albany, Minn., welcomed a girl, Morgan, in February 2005.

Birth: Hollie (Laager) and Chad Endres, Coon Rapids, Minn., welcomed a girl, Emma, in November 2004.

Birth: Janet and Matthew Linkert, Mound, Minn., welcomed a girl, Maeve, in December 2004.

Birth: Heather (Mack) and Paul Johnson, Excelsior, Minn., welcomed a girl, Lilia, in October 2004.

Birth: Dianha Ortega-Ehreth and Sam Ehreth, Elgin, Ill., welcomed a girl, Annabel, in March 2005.

Birth: Jennifer (Sorenson) and Kirk Holt, Oakdale, Minn., welcomed a boy, Wyatt, in December 2004.

Birth: Merri (Stebbins) and Ron Milke, Champlin, Minn., welcomed a boy, Andrew, in April 2005.

Birth: Jennifer (Thimjon) and Peter Moen, Rogers, Minn., welcomed a boy, Tanner, in November 2004.

Birth: Jennifer (Wolf) and Curt Hanson, Grand Forks, N.D., welcomed a girl, Grace, in September 2004.

Birth: A girl, Samantha, to Cheryl (Nielsen) ’94 and Michael Anderson, Watertown, S.D., in April 2004.

Birth: A boy, Riley, to Andrea (Ask) and Jay Thimjon, Wahpeton, N.D., in September 2004.

Birth: A girl, Walker, to Kristan (Bjerke) and Darren Demers, Grafton, N.D., in June 2004.

Birth: A boy, Peter, to Jill (Fellman) ’96 and Kevin Borg, Minnetrista, Minn., in June 2004.

Birth: A girl, Grace, to Kari (Walrath) ’96 and Charlie Ehlers, Marshall, Minn., in July 2004.

Birth: A girl, Madison, to Tammy (Fiebiger) and Dan Doeden, Fargo, N.D. in December 2003.

Birth: A boy, Cooper, to Ryan Hines, Hutchinson, Minn., in November 2004.

Birth: A boy, Kellen, to Katie (Madden) ’94 and Jamie Kinzer, St. Cloud, Minn., in May 2004.

Birth: A boy, Owen, to Tammy (Kittelson) and Brandon Ray, Queen Creek, Ariz., in January 2004.

Birth: A girl, Abby, to Karol (Malde) and Wade ’93 Hanson, Lakeville, Minn., in April 2004.

Birth: A girl, Riane, to Jasi O’Connor and Chad Mohagen, Moorhead, in May 2004.

Birth: A boy, Thomas, to Jennifer (Ortloff) ’97 and Matthew Philaya, Moorhead, in June 2004.

Birth: A boy, Ethan, to Victoria (Perhus) and Joel Palmreuter, Aurora, Co., in March of 2004.

Birth: A boy, Luke, to Kori (Poier) and Jeremy ’91 Holtmeier, Mount Prospect, Ill., in August 2004.

Birth:  A boy, Mark, to Angela (Behan) and Brad Rud, Waconia, Minn., in December of 2003.

Birth: A girl, Etta, to Helene (Svir) ’96 and Layne Danielson, Baxter, Minn., in May 2004.

Birth: A girl, Eliese, to Megan and Howard Baird, Mitchell, S.D., in June 2004.

Birth: A boy, Johnathon, to Julie (Huber) and Jacob Davis, Gilbert, Ariz., in March 2004.

Birth: A boy, Zachary, to Marla and Kerby Plante, St. Cloud, Minn., in November 2003.

Birth: A girl, Elsa, to Beth (Ronning) and Kenneth Reilly, St. Paul, Minn., in April 2004.

Birth: A boy, Adam, to Beth Stone-Smith and Paul Smith, Bakersfield, Calif., in April 2004.

Birth: A boy, Nathan, to Jennifer (Stoner) and Rick Krause, Moorhead, in January 2004.

Birth: A son, John, to Amy (Robinson) and Peter ’92 Linnerooth, Rochester, Minn., in April 2003.

Birth: A son, Anders, to Tracy (Berntsen) and Ryan ’94 Beil, Portland, O.R.,  in June 2003.

Birth: A daughter, Rayonna, adopted by Melissa (Olmstead) ’94 and Kent Rademacher, Oxbow, N.D., in June 2003. Rayonna was born in September 1991.

Birth: A son, Jaden, to Amy (Huhnerkoch) and Paul Lorang, Pipestone, Minn., in July 2003.

Birth: A daughter, Lauren, to Christine (Wagner) and Garth ’96 Rydland, Grand Forks, N.D., in July 2003.

Birth: A son, Blake, to Ellen (Hoel) ’96 and Troy Simonson, Minnetrista, Minn., in August 2003.

Birth: A son, Charles, to Jill (Evenson) and Stephen Abenth, St. Paul, Minn., in August 2003.

Birth: A daughter, Kaylie, to Beth (Wallman) ’96 and Eric Zimmerman, Brooklyn Park, Minn., in December 2003.

Birth: A daughter, Emily, to Heidi (Schumann) and Patrick Ames, Canton, N.Y., in January 2004.

Parting Thoughts:

I truly hope to see each and every one of you back for Homecoming 2005, to celebrate our 10-year college reunion!  It will be great to reconnect and recollect on our college years at Concordia.  I look forward to hearing from anyone who has ideas about how to make our 10-year reunion even more festive and special or from anyone who would like to be on the planning committee.  The planning is already underway, but we can always use more people and more energy to make our 10-year reunion spectacular!

Enjoy the summer and I look forward to seeing many of you at Homecoming 2005!

Concordially yours,

Shayne M. Hamann, ‘95

Class Agent

715 Summit Avenue

St. Paul, MN  55105

(651) 225-4825 (Home)

(651) 265-3023 (Work)

shayne.hamann@farmersinsurance.com or

SHAYNEANDDAN@MSN.COM

P.S. For more information on Concordia College and Homecoming 2005, check out the following web sites: www.KnowConcordia.com;  www.ConcordiaCollege.edu/alumni.