CSP News
Original Copy of Book of Concord Found in Special Collections In preparing an exhibit for Concordia St. Paul’s celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in October 2017, Megan Johnson-Saylor, Dr. Rhoda Schuler and Dr. Suzanne Hequet reviewed the Special Collections section of the CSP Library, focusing on sixteenth century pamphlets and rare books. Hequet found one book to be very interesting—a 1581 edition of the Book of Concord published in Dresden, which had what appeared to be a complete hand-written provenance for the book in the front covers. There were three “families” of original editions published in Dresden in 1579, 1580, and 1581. Concordia’s book is the latter 1581 version. It belonged to the descendants of Joannes Hunnenberger, one of the signers of the Book of Concord. It was brought by the Saxon Lutherans who immigrated to America and came into possession of the University perhaps at its founding 125 years ago. As the volume records more than 8,100 signers, Dr. Hequet and Johnson-Saylor have announced a project involving student volunteers to document the signatures and make them available online in a searchable database. “While the library and archives are committed to preserving these artifacts, we are not the scholars that will shed light on their historical and societal significance— this is where our faculty and student body can shine,” Johnson-Saylor, Digital Scholarship Librarian and University Archivist, said. “The new scholarship that can come out of research using our special collections is a valuable and exciting contribution to not only our library but our university as a whole.”
CSP Signs Purchase Agreement to Acquire Central Midway Building Concordia University, St. Paul has announced it has signed a purchase agreement, subject to specific contingencies, to buy the entire Central Midway Building on the northern side of I-94 across from Holst Hall. CSP has been leasing a number of floors in the nine-story facility since 2015 as program growth made it necessary to expand the campus footprint. “This acquisition allows Concordia the strategic opportunity to continue serving the needs of our students by providing muchneeded space to grow and expand our academic offerings,” CSP President Tom Ries said. “As we celebrate the 125th anniversary of this institution, we look forward to our continued community partnership in the Lex-Ham neighborhood.” CSP currently utilizes three full floors and a portion of a fourth in the Central Midway Building as it houses Concordia’s Doctor of Physical Therapy and Nursing programs, as well as the Office of
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Advancement, Office of Alumni Relations and a number of graduate program faculty offices. “With ‘Vision 2024’ launching this fall, the Midway facility will allow an amazing opportunity for CSP to expand programs serving our growing population of metro learners and provide a location for opportunities of students to engage in community clinics within the St. Paul community,” said Provost and Chief Operating Officer Dr. Eric E. LaMott. Concordia has been a constant anchor in this area of St. Paul for over a century and has witnessed a tremendous amount of change, including losing its own football field in the 1960s due to the construction of I-94. The Midway and Lex-Ham areas are currently undergoing even more changes with the construction of Allianz Field (opening in Spring 2019) and new Midway Peace Park, which will be adjacent to the Central Midway property.