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History of Concordia College
The history of Concordia College mirrors that of the Norwegian Lutheran
immigrants to the Red River Valley. Concordia was dedicated on October
31, 1891 - only about 10 years after the first settlers had made
their home in the area.
The Norwegian settlers valued education and their religious heritage.
Because schools were few in the area, especially at the secondary
level, the establishment of quality schools was high on the settlers'
list of priorities.
The Northwestern Lutheran College Association, composed of Red River
Valley Lutherans, purchased the property of the Bishop Whipple School
in Moorhead, which had been started by the Episcopalians a few years
earlier and had closed for lack of students. Bishop Whipple Hall,
the oldest building on the campus today, recalls those early years
in the life of the College. As the country and the Norwegian settlement
matured, so did the College. The necessity for adding regular liberal
arts courses on the college level to those offered on the academy
level was soon apparent, and in 1913 a complete college department
was organized. The first baccalaureate degrees were granted in 1917,
and in 1927 the academy section of the institution was discontinued.
Park Region College of Fergus Falls, Minn., became a part of Concordia
College in 1917; one of Concordia's residence halls commemorates
this addition.
The College observed its centennial with a series of events beginning
August 28, 1991, and concluding May 3, 1992. Concordia College has
always maintained a strong relationship with Lutheran congregations
in the Upper Great Plains area. It is owned and operated by the congregations
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in northern Minnesota,
North Dakota, and Montana. These congregations, through their conference
organizations, send delegates to an annual corporate meeting in October
of each year, at which time the regents of the College are elected.
The ELCA Division for Education supervises the College and grants
a yearly appropriation toward its support. As a coeducational college
of the arts, literature, and sciences, Concordia is also supported
by gifts and grants from foundations, corporations, and individual
friends of the College.
Concordia's current student body comes from many backgrounds and places
- from 39 states and 42 countries, and representing 51 different religions
and denominations. Student enrollment is 2,856. There are 181 full-time
and 87 part-time faculty members. Student-faculty ratio is 14:1.
Presidents
Ingebrikt F. Grose-1891-1893
Hans H. Aaker-1893-1902
Rasmus R. Bogstad-1902-1909
Henry O. Shurson-1909-1911
Johan A. Aasgaard-1911-1925
John N. Brown-1925-1951
Joseph L. Knutson-1951-1975
Paul J. Dovre-1975-1999
Thomas W. Thomsen-1999-2003
Paul J. Dovre (Interim) - 2003-2004
Pamela M. Jolicoeur - 2004-present |
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