June/July 2007
Chinese Language Course Added
A new course, beginning this fall, will give students the opportunity to study Chinese language and culture. "Global Studies 111: Beginning Chinese" will be taught by Dr. Xueqi Zeng, associate professor of mathematics and a native of Beijing.
Assisting Zeng will be Chun-Hui Chuang, a native of Taiwan and a specialist in language learning who will come to Concordia via a grant from the ALLEX Foundation.
This first course in a two-part sequence is designed to introduce students to the skills needed for proficiency in the language and culture of Mandarin China. The class will be taught in a language-lab setting combining both oral and written communication skills.
Concordia expects to offer the next course in the Chinese sequence, 112, during the second semester.
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| College Added to Fargo Marathon Course |
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| Dozens of volunteers and spectators cheered on Fargo Marathon runners as they passed through campus May 19. More photos... |
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Faculty/Student Research Delivers Great Results
Dr. Mark Jensen, chair of the chemistry department, is part of a team of researchers in electrochemistry who are supported by one of the largest federal research grants ever awarded in this region.
Their work involves developing anti-corrosion coatings for aluminum alloys – a principal construction material for aircraft.
"Aluminum is lightweight and it doesn’t easily corrode, but it’s not very strong so its usefulness in construction is limited. Usually it is alloyed with an element like copper to increase strength," Jensen explains. "But this makes the metal more prone to corrosion, so an anti-corrosion coating must be applied. The most commonly used coatings contain chromium, which is toxic. Our research is focused on exploring conducting polymers as an alternative to the chromium-based coatings."
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Concordia Affiliates with Chinese College
Concordia has joined the "Minnesota in China" initiative with United International College (UIC) in Zhuzhai, about an hour’s ferryboat ride from Hong Kong.
UIC is a new American-style liberal arts college on the Chinese mainland affiliated with the more established Beijing Normal University and Hong Kong Baptist University, which are providing faculty and accreditation during the start-up of the college.
UIC aspires to be a global college, with all instruction in English, where students and scholars from around the world will come to study and do research.
Dr. Edmund Kwok, executive vice-president of UIC and his wife, Christine, visited Concordia on May 24 to raise support among faculty and staff for this new venture.
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 It Matters to You
Starting Your Own Blog
Keeping in touch with people or getting your message to the masses is getting easier in the digital age. One booming vehicle of communication is the blog.
Blogs, a shortened term for Web logs, allow users to post content on the Internet for others to read and discuss through comments.
Blogs cover practically every topic imaginable and are used for several purposes, ranging from serving as personal diaries to actively promoting causes to facilitate company- or organization-sponsored discussions.
Recently, blog software and resources have become more user-friendly and are free or have minimal fees.
So, want to log on to the virtual bandwagon? Andrew Lutgen, Web design assistant at Concordia’s Web Services, offers the following tips to get started:
1. Decide which format to use. A hosted site such as Blogger.com or LiveJournal.com allows you to customize your blog through their provided Web site. These services are usually free and have easy-to-use customization options readily available. Another format is blogging software such as Movabletype.com or Wordpress.com that can be downloaded from the Internet. These software programs usually have more customization options for those versed in programming language. Or, if you’re really computer savvy, you could even create your own blog page online.
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Waldsee BioHaus Honored
Concordia Language Villages’ Waldsee BioHaus, the first certified Passive House in North America, has won the 2007 Minnesota Environmental Initiative Award for air quality and climate protection.
These are the premiere environmental awards in the state and commend the ability to honor both environmental and business priorities.
Waldsee BioHaus was recognized for its impressive 24-hour air/heat exchange system featuring an 85 percent efficient heat recovery unit.
Completed in 2006, the BioHaus, located at the German Language Village near Bemidji, Minn., serves as a residence and an environmental living center for language and cultural immersion programs for young people from all 50 states.
Earlier this month, the BioHaus was named a candidate for another honor, the World Clean Energy Award. Winners will be announced June 15.
Students Meet Coptic Pope
Exactly one year to the day, a group of Religion 100 students met another world leader of Christianity that traces his lineage to the apostles.
Last spring in Istanbul, Concordia students experienced a private audience with His All Holiness Bartholomew, Patriarch of the Orthodox Church founded by the disciple Andrew. During an Exploration Seminar this spring, students attended a much larger audience and lecture by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, leader of the Egyptian Coptic church founded by the apostle Mark.
Despite a capacity audience in cavernous Cathedral of St. Mark in Cairo, students were ushered to the front row for a close-up view of Shenouda’s weekly message where he fields questions and gives advice to his followers.
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 Band Makes History
Concordia has always been well-known for its musical talent of which a school band has been a prominent feature. By 1892 (one year after Concordia opened), the school had already formed a band.
In 1899, Wilhelm Rognlie became the director of the Concordia Echo Band, which made its first formal appearance in February 1900. Directorship of the band changed frequently between the years of 1902 to 1927.
In 1910, the band began regular tours and performances at local events. According to the 1929 Scout yearbook, touring was an important factor in publicizing Concordia to potential students and their parents.
Concordia leaders recognized the value in sharing Concordia’s musical talent with others and often accompanied musical groups on their tours.
For example, President Shurson joined the band tour in 1910 delivering sermons to congregations that hosted concerts.
Many early band directors made significant strides in securing the band as a signature piece of Concordia.
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