YOUR LIFE AT CONCORDIA
Your Life at Concordia Purpose of Concordia College Concordia College invites men and women of different backgrounds, religions and aspirations to join an academic community where the life of faith and the pursuit of learning occur in dynamic interaction. Students who are eager to address big questions, open to the complexity of our multicultural world, and passionate about making a difference in their communities are welcome to be full and active participants in the life of Concordia. The purpose of Concordia College is to influence the affairs of the world by sending into society thoughtful and informed men and women dedicated to the Christian life. The Concordia College mission statement is rooted in the Lutheran tradition. Martin Luther believed that the liberally learned person is someone of “wondrous ability subsequently fit for everything.” His convictions shape the Lutheran academic tradition, in particular its commitment to: • Freedom to search for truth, with nothing off-limits for inquiry and critique • Education in the liberal arts as the best preparation for leadership in church and society • Excellence in all our endeavors. Where the welfare of the neighbor and the world are concerned, good intentions are never an excuse for mediocrity. • The engagement of faith and learning as a creative dialogue, where inquiry and scholarship enlighten religious life and faith practice enriches the educational experience. • Intellectual humility in the face of the paradoxes and ambiguities of life The Lutheran theological tradition emphasizes that we are all called to serve our neighbor and care for creation in response to God’s love. Thus Concordia College strives to equip students for vocation — using their talents for the sake of the world.
History of Concordia College The history of Concordia College mirrors that of the Norwegian Lutheran immigrants to the Red River Valley who founded the college. Concordia was dedicated on Oct. 31, 1891 — only about 10 years after the first settlers had made their home in the Red River Valley. 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. Concordia ranks in the top 13 percent of all colleges in the nation for the number of graduates who obtained research doctorates from 2001-2010. Concordia graduates acceptance rate into medical school is usually twice the national average, and 89 percent of seniors applying to law school are accepted. Also, Concordia prepares more students for seminary than almost any other college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Concordia students discover their interests and get real-world experience through invaluable internships offered by
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hundreds of employers in virtually every field. Graduates of Concordia are versatile team players, outstanding leaders, excellent communicators and problem-solvers.
Concordia College Today Concordia’s current student body comes from many backgrounds and places — from 34 states and 35 countries, representing 40 religions and denominations. More than 2,600 students attend Concordia. Concordia employs 180 full-time faculty and 72 part-time faculty. The student-faculty ratio is 13:1. Concordia College is owned by the nonprofit Concordia College Corporation, which includes congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in American in northern Minnesota, North Dakota and Montana.
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 — 2004-2010 Paul J. Dovre (interim) — 2010-2011 William J. Craft — 2011-present
The Concordia Community For more than 100 years, Concordia has enjoyed a reputation for excellence as a liberal arts college of the church. Here you will be challenged to excel in an intellectually vibrant campus community where supportive faculty and staff nurture your development of mind, body and spirit. Concordia’s strong liberal arts curriculum provides a breadth, depth and appreciation of learning that prepares you to influence the affairs of an ever-changing world. At Concordia, you’ll get to know the world in a personal way. As a national leader in the number of students studying abroad, Concordia offers powerful, firsthand learning experiences in places such as China, England, Greece, Italy, Mexico and Tanzania — just about everywhere on the globe. These programs — designed for a week, month, semester or academic year — will help you discover cultural and career connections that put you worlds ahead in preparing for life after college. Additionally, international students and students of color enrich the quality of community on campus with their many gifts and thoughtful perspectives. The world-renowned Concordia Language Villages in the nearby North Woods of Bemidji, Minn., provides one-of-a-kind language and culture immersion education experiences. Concordia’s distinctive and far-reaching emphasis on international learning broadens your perspective as a thoughtful and informed global citizen. Concordia ranks in the top 13 percent of all colleges in the nation for the number of graduates who obtained research doctorates from 2001-2010. Concordia graduates’ acceptance rate into medical school is usually eight times the national average, and 90 percent of seniors applying to law school are accepted. Also, Concordia prepares more students for seminary than almost any other college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Concordia students discover their interests and get real-world experience through invaluable internships offered by hundreds of employers in virtually every field. Graduates of Concordia are versatile team players, outstanding leaders, excellent communicators and problem-solvers. Dynamic interaction between students and faculty is an integral part of the classroom experience at Concordia, Moorhead, where matters of faith, values and ethics come to focus through thoughtful and spirited dialogue. As active scholars with a unique passion for classroom teaching, faculty take a personal interest in helping you succeed. Interaction with faculty may even include the opportunity to