LIVING YOUR PASSION

Concordia Connection P O R T L A N D, O R E G O N • W I N T E R 2 0 1 4

Welcome to this issue of the Concordia Connection in

which we celebrate the importance of passion. As

you’ll see, we have no shortage of people living out their

passions as part of our Concordia community.

It is because of each of you – your enthusiasm, your prayers,

and your continued support – that Concordia remains

mission-focused on preparing leaders for the transformation of society. It is this

mission, grounded in Christ and rooted in our Lutheran identity, which provides the

basis for everything we do.

Beyond the four corners of campus, Concordia’s role is also to ignite passion in whole

communities. We take the long view to create safe, healthy and educated communities.

This approach is being lived out every day across the Concordia community and also

in“3 to PhD,™” one of our key strategic initiatives and the focus of our last magazine.

As a Lutheran higher education institution, we recognize and accept this broader role

to reach beyond ourselves to include youth, families, schools and whole communities.

That’s why we continue to bring people like Sir Ken Robinson to speak. As you read

the articles in this issue, I hope your own passions are reignited. Then, please also join

us in person on February 4th for the Governor Victor Atiyeh Leadership in Education

Awards, and help give back to support student scholarships.

Our passion is helping all our students – and communities in which we serve – to

become transformational servant leaders. Thank you for being part of this mission.

For His Students,

Dr. Charles E. Schlimpert

President, Concordia University – Portland

1Winter 2014

Campus Life. Concordia grad has passion for helping students with autism; Finding your passion? At Concordia, there’s a class for that; Concordia Trustee turns poverty into passion; Graduate school goes overseas to learn valuable lessons; A passion for painting creates artistic love affair, and more.

Letting Your Passions Transform Your Life. Sir Ken Robinson, the featured speaker at this year’s Governor Victor Atiyeh Leadership in Education Awards, shares his thoughts on creativity, innovation, and finding your element.

Current Issue. What’s the psychology behind living a life of passion? Learn about the positive benefits that flows from doing what you love to do.

Alumni Notes. A passion for the high seas sends one Concordia alum around the world and into the eye of a storm; MBA grad creates an environmentally friendly paint business; plus the latest about life after Concordia straight from alumni themselves.

Navy & White. Concordia women’s soccer team wins national championship! Plus recaps of all fall sports. And as Concordia is poised to move from NAIA to NCAA Division II, learn what this means for our teams – and our school.

29 Nailed to the Door. Discover how part-time professor of art Greg Lewis found his passion in the most unusual of places – and uses that passion to serve.

Cover Photo: Concordia University’s women’s soccer team celebrates their victory at the 2013 NAIA National Championships. Photo courtesy of michellewhiteoriginals.shootproof.com.

P O R T L A N D, O R E G O N • W I N T E R 2 0 1 4

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W I N T E R 2 0 1 4

Concordia Connection is published twice per year by Concordia University in Portland, Oregon.

PLEASE ADDRESS ALL CORRESPONDENCE TO:Concordia ConnectionConcordia University

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or email: alumni@cu-portland.edu

SENIOR EDITOR: Shari Altree

COPY EDITOR: Todd Duvall

ART DIRECTOR: Christine Dodge

GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Katrina Dinges

PHOTOGRAPHER: Phil Sedgwick

EDITORIAL BOARD:Keylah Boyer ’97, Jason Dormeyer, Matt English,

Cheryl Franceschi, Sarah Kenney ’10, Rev. Dr. David Kluth, Michael Madison ’81,

Kevin Matheny, Jennifer Pearce ’03, Dr. Sheryl Reinisch, Dr. Glenn Smith, Dr. Michael Thomas ’93,

Madeline Turnock, and Gary Withers

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Sign up for a semester of Religion 401, Faith For Life, and you’re going to learn a lot about the concept of “finding your calling.” According to the course’s instructor, Assistant Professor of Theology Dr. Chad Lakies, the Lutheran doctrine of Vocation is all about the idea of “calling.” According to Dr. Lakies, “Luther meant it as any kind of calling that God places on you in your life – it could be as a son, a daughter, a neighbor, a citizen, a member of God’s faithful people – and not just a job, as most people understand the term ‘vocation.’ Student, employee, teacher, mentor, volunteer – these are all types of callings and they change throughout your life.”

Turning the expected on its ear “In this class,” says Dr. Lakies, “we take the idea of vocation and blow it up for students. I want them to think beyond career and money. What is it you LOVE to do? What makes your heart come to life? What are you drawn to? What have you

dreamt about since you were a kid. What have you always seen yourself doing or being? If that’s what you really love and really want to do,” he says, “then it’s a calling from God and is legitimate within God’s calling for you.” “All of us have callings. For Luther, it meant that each person is a mask of God and His instrument for caring for man and the rest of creation. Through God’s choosing to involve us, we are all part of the story. In fact, our very meaning comes from discovering our unique calling and the ability to line our passions up with that calling.”

Finding Your Passion?At Concordia, There’s a Class for That

“In this class, we take the idea of vocation and blow it up for students. I want them to think beyond career and money. What is it you LOVE to do? What makes your heart come to life?”

JUNE 18, 2013 »Lilisa Hall, executive director of the Pacific Power Foundation and Concordia University trustee, presented Concordia University Executive Vice President Gary Withers with two grants from Pacific Power Foundation. One supports Concordia Teacher Corps, which mentors and tutors K-12 students in after-school programs, and the other supports scholarships for current Concordia students.

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3Winter 2014

Concordia faculty and students at the home for

older adults in Juigalpa, Nicaragua in 2012.

Embracing the good with the bad According to Dr. Lakies, “Calling and vocation can help you understand the meaningful life that God has created you to live. If we understand it that way, then we can live life passionately and embrace our callings passionately. This doesn’t mean it will be easy, but it will be meaningful.” “Not every part of your calling is going to be happy and fun and sunshine and roses, so you can’t think of passion in that sense. I’m a dad, for example, and that means having to sometimes do things you don’t want to – like discipline. But that’s the reality. It’s great to love what you do and live life passionately. Just know that struggle, pain, and suffering are part of it. These are the things that help us learn and grow.”

Serve “us” versus service “Ultimately,” says Dr. Lakies, “It comes down to a question of ‘serve us’ vs. ‘service.’ It’s easy to get sucked into the American Dream – new home, college for the kids, big money job, material needs, and so on. But what’s your legacy? What’s your purpose? Compare that with ‘service’ where you contribute to the good of others to make the world a better place. Luther says our works are for our neighbors. This concept fits seamlessly with Concordia’s mission.” In keeping with the Lutheran tradition, students in Faith for Life will be challenged not to know the truth, but to seek the truth. For those seeking their calling – or passion – in life, class is in session.

Going without is something Dr. Keren Brown Wilson knows all too well. “Growing up, I was poor. We used a coal lamp for lighting and we lived in poverty. But my mom believed in me. And I was always befriended by people along the way who took an interest in my well-being.” Knowing first-hand how important it is for all children to have a champion in their lives, Dr. Brown Wilson, a member of Concordia’s Council of Trustees, is a huge proponent of Concordia’s 3 to PhD™ initiative. “Education is one of the ways we help lift children and families out of generational poverty.”

Service learning provides the key “I’ve always been interested in showing students how other people live – people who may not have as much or may not be as fortunate. This gives them a way to gain perspective about their own life, and have the opportunity to have their lives transformed through service. Service learning – combining classroom instruction with meaningful community service – is a wonderful way to do that.” “I was lucky enough to go to school because of scholarships. That makes a critical difference in a person’s life. That’s why I believe that the Governor Victor Atiyeh Leadership in Education Award is so powerful. Businesses and individuals coming together to help young people.”

Finding meaning where it matters most “At an early age, I learned from my mom there are three kinds of people in this world. Those who can and don’t. Those who can’t and don’t. And those who can and do. Everyone has the potential to be that third kind of person. That’s what gives us meaning in life.” “Meaning doesn’t come from material things. We get meaning from our ability to make a difference. Even by simply being nice to a stranger. It doesn’t have to be a huge check or even money at all. Meaning can be found just by caring and responding to other people. And I’m a big believer that if we teach children and young adults that lesson, society would be better off. Children would have happier, more productive lives.”

JULY 22, 2013 Concordia University School of Law in

Boise, Idaho welcomed five new faculty and staff, ahead of its second full class of

students who began classes in the fall of 2013.

Turning Poverty Into Passion

« AUGUST 4, 2013The 11th anniversary of Portland SummerFest

Opera in the Park was held at Concordia with a performance of Otello, by Giuseppe Verdi.

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« OCTOBER 10, 2013Concordia hosted Dr. Juliette LaMontagne, a Senior TED fellow and founder of Project Breaker!, for an on campus

lecture about her mission: to drive social innovation and alternative learning by mobilizing interdisciplinary teams of young creative collaborators to help solve the world’s most pressing problems.

One Grad’s Passion for Helping Autistic Children “Ahead of their time.” That’s how Concordia University-Portland alumna Gretchen Schmidt Mertes ’88 describes her former education professors. “They taught me things as an undergrad that my peers didn’t learn until their graduate programs.” She fondly recalls idolizing professors like Dr. Julie Rowland, Kathy Dunbar, and Dr. Johnnie Driessner. “I wanted to be just like them,” she says. “Their passion for students was contagious.”

Another Concordia teacher success story For as long as she can remember, Mertes wanted to be a teacher. When her sister decided to go to Concordia, she followed suit and instantly fell in love with the campus. She became involved with the Friday Night Life Christian fellowship group, along with the campus improv group and drama club. After taking a class called Exceptional Children, Mertes became hooked on the idea of teaching special education. But her career path took her in a different direction – teaching in Seattle-area Lutheran schools, serving in “Up with People” (a performing arts and community

Inspired by her mother to help the elderly Dr. Brown Wilson’s true passion comes from helping indigent elders live their best lives. In the mid-1970s, she founded the Jessie F. Richardson Foundation, dedicated to her mother. The foundation is financed by a private trust fund and supported by donors and volunteers. Today, the foundation runs a variety of programs, including “Rise Above Poverty (RAP),” which is targeted specifically at the elderly population of impoverished Nicaragua. RAP was able to hire a physician in Nicaragua to provide direct care to homeless elders. The organization also assisted in the refinancing of a licensed nonprofit assisted living facility for low-income elders, helping it to remain open. And they coordinated planning services for organizations seeking to provide shelter and service for low-income elders.

Making a purposeful impact For the past several years, Dr. Brown Wilson has also been taking nursing students from Concordia

University to Nicaragua to provide clinical experience serving older, indigent people. “There’s nothing better than bringing younger and older people together in a way that is mutually beneficial. The elderly get health services from students. And the students gain by having a way to be purposeful and discover the positive impact they can have on others. This is the kind of opportunity we want to give students as they are starting out professionally.

It will stay with them their whole lives, helping them become engaged, empathetic, involved adults in their community – and a benefit to society.” “What a wonderful way to discover purpose! Purpose is what gives meaning to life. You’re never too old to have purpose. It will allow you to become connected with others and allows you to become the kind of person you want to be.” For more information on Dr. Keren Brown Wilson’s foundation, visit www.jfrfoundation.org.

AUGUST 8, 2013 Concordia University’s Art & Carol Wahlers Center for Applied Lutheran Leadership, in

collaboration with Bright Stars of Bethlehem, hosted special guest Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb, a

Palestinian theologian, for a free lecture on the topic of life, healing, and liberation in the Middle East.

Dr. Keren Brown Wilson, Founder of the Jessie F. Richardson Foundation, and member of Concordia University Council of Trustees

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5Winter 2014

OCTOBER 16, 2013Concordia University was featured in The Oregonian for our special

connection with Faubion School. For six years now, Concordia students, staff, and faculty have been deeply involved in collaborating with this local Portland Public School in a variety of ways – a partnership that has evolved into the

“3 to PhD™” initiative.

service program for children), and dancing with various ballet companies. When the whirlwind stopped, Mertes settled in the Bethel School District teaching general education classes.

From general education to special education A turning point occurred in 1998 when she was asked to substitute in a special education class. Since she had a master’s degree in special education, the principal eventually asked her to teach this class full-time. Mertes grew up with a heart for children with special needs. Her family took in foster children and her mother was a bus driver for special needs students. But the special education landscape had changed considerably since Mertes graduated from Concordia. She soon realized that she would need more training to understand properly the wide-range of learning needs, ranging from very low functioning (biting, spitting, kicking, for example) to very high functioning (children who are academically gifted but do not exhibit the expected social norms of behavior). So Mertes began a year-long internship at the University of Washington Autism Center and eventually became a state-sponsored trainer in teaching autistic children.

Meeting the needs of the autistic student When asked about the most common misconception about autistic students, she says, “It is

probably that the behavior is done on purpose with the intent to misbehave, when it is really an attempt to communicate within the range they are able and in a way that happens to be outside the accepted norms of social conversation. For decades, educators viewed autistic children through a lens of misunderstanding and an approach that treated them as second class students in the classroom. I show teachers how to integrate autistic children into mainstream classrooms without disruption, whenever possible.” Her passion for teaching special education was transformed when she attended a talk by revolutionary education speaker, Michelle Garcia Winner. According to Winner, just as students with physical disabilities utilize aids, so can children with varying mental abilities. This concept, called “social thinking,” attempts to help students with mental challenges rise to the level of their peers through a mental “prosthesis.” Eventually, Michelle Garcia Winner selected Mertes and nine others to serve as speaking delegates for her concept. In that capacity, Mertes travels all over the United States and Canada, helping teachers to better understand and work more efficiently with students who have autism. Now as an education specialist for autism, she provides district-wide support for special education teachers – from pre-K through high school.

The passion began at Concordia Gretchen Schmidt Mertes is quick to say that she is grateful to Concordia for preparing her so well for her career. “They put us in the classroom early, so even before student teaching, we had the opportunity to tutor and observe. This made student teaching so much easier later on.” She would encourage current Concordia students interested in the field of special education to reach out to their local school district and become a volunteer. “Books can only teach you so much,” says Mertes. “Go talk to teachers and students.” Oprah Winfrey once said that “Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.” For Gretchen Schmidt Mertes, that passion comes from helping children with autism reach their full potential, and by helping educate teachers on the best ways to work with special needs students. To learn more about “social thinking,” visit www.socialthinking.com.

OCTOBER 24, 2013Concordia University officially accepted an invitation to become the

11th full-time member of the NCAA Division II Great Northwest Athletic Conference. If accepted into the NCAA membership process, the

Cavaliers would begin competing as a GNAC member in the fall of 2015 and be eligible for NCAA postseason play beginning in the fall of 2017.

Gretchen Schmidt Mertes ’88

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Graduate School Practicum Goes Overseas to Learn Valuable Lessons By offering graduate courses online, you never know where the students will come from. In December 2011, Regina Tagara – the principal of an elementary school in Indonesia – graduated with a master’s in education degree from Concordia online. Principal Tagara loved her online experience – and everything about Concordia – so much that she sent Concordia Director of Graduate Studies, Dr. Lori Sanchez, an email asking if Concordia had ever considered partnering with an international school.

The chance for a unique partnership The two emailed back-and-forth for nearly a year. Then Dr. Sanchez packed her bags and headed to Indonesia to meet with Tagara, visit the school, and discuss the potential of such a program. The goal was to have Concordia students work directly with students at the Indonesian school. Inspired by what she saw and the opportunities this would provide for Master of Arts in Teaching students on campus, Dr. Sanchez quickly realized a two-week excursion abroad was not going to be sufficient. She turned to the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission for help. With their blessing, a formal six-week MAT practicum was created.

« NOVEMBER 16, 2013 “Create Your Own Masterpiece” was the first fundraiser for Concordia’s Art & Culture Program. Greg Lewis, part-time professor of art, guided people, step-by-step, through the painting process. By popular demand, we will be hosting

another “Create Your Own Masterpiece” in April. All proceeds support upcoming exhibits in 2014.

A whole new world According to Dr. Sanchez, “It’s a win/win for everyone. Our students get to go into the field and teach in a classroom which is truly diverse. They’re exposed to a completely different culture, including language differences. For soon-to-be teachers who have never really experienced teaching outside the mainstream, this

experience gives them new insights. This will definitely stretch their comfort zone.” This is an international school in which courses are taught in English. Indonesia is a Muslim country, however, with religious rules and traditions unfamiliar to most Americans. Students at the school speak Indonesian (the official language of the country, also known as Bahasa), or Mandarin

(the language many of the Chinese students speak at home). This means every student in every classroom is a language learner who speaks a primary language other than English. It’s here, in this new and dynamic environment, that Concordia University graduate students will find themselves.

The educator becomes the student “By fully immersing our education grad students in a different culture, they gain first-hand experience with teaching English to language learners,” says Dr. Sanchez. “They return with a different outlook that changes their sensitivity to the challenges of today’s classroom here in the United States. Ultimately, not only is our teacher teaching to the whole child…but through this practicum, we are helping teach to the whole teacher.” Students enrolled in this practicum will go to Indonesia in the spring where they will be required to teach full time for six weeks. During that time, they will also be responsible to handle a three-week unit on their own. Dr. Sanchez summarizes the program this way: “This practicum gives MAT students the opportunity to grow personally and discover what it means to be a learner in a different culture. They will be, essentially, a minority in their Indonesian classroom – speaking a different

NOVEMBER 11, 2013 Fittingly announced on Veteran’s Day, Concordia University School of Law was listed among the

2013’s Military Friendly Schools. Concordia Law is a certified Yellow Ribbon institution and ranks

in the top 20% of schools nationwide for delivering the best experience for military students.

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An Artistic Love Affair for the Ages

language, looking different, having different customs. When they come back to the states and stand in front of their own classroom after graduation, up to 50 percent of their students will most likely be English learners – and they’ll know exactly how that feels.” Innovative programs like this have tremendous practical applications, as there is a nationwide push for English Language Learner (ELL) teaching endorsements. Through a better understanding of diversity and cultural differences, students taking advantage of Concordia’s Indonesia MAT practicum will be much better prepared for the reality of today’s classroom population.

Their accomplishments read like the Who’s Who of the literary illustration world. They wrote and illustrated two Caldecott Honors award books and one Caldecott Award winner. Their artwork impressed writer John Steinbeck so much that he requested they do the cover art for four of his books – including East of Eden and The Grapes of Wrath. Frequent visitors to their Little Stone House – the home the Haders built on an old stone quarry near the Hudson River – included writer Dorothy Parker, poet Carl Sandburg, and actress Helen Hayes. And they were instrumental in getting The Little House On the Prairie books published. Meet artists Berta and Elmer Hader.

A passion for painting Berta Hoerner was born in 1890. She loved art and had a mother who encouraged her. As a young woman, she studied art in Seattle, San Francisco, and New York. Elmer Hader was born in 1889. He, too, loved art from an early age. His first works were displayed in San Francisco and Paris. Berta and Elmer were married in 1919. They quickly discovered that they worked well as a team

and found a niche creating magazine inserts designed for children – paper dolls, shadow boxes, and action toys. Before long, they found themselves at home in the world of children’s book writers and illustrators. Berta’s fine eye for detail and Elmer’s bold approach to art – mixed with their mutual love of animals, children, and people – brought many awards their way. Their writing and illustration career flourished from the 1920s through the 1960s. In 1955, the Haders wrote, “We write for children, not to preach, nor moralize, but to suggest that the world about them is a beautiful and pleasant place to live in, if they but take time out, to look. And perhaps in doing so, our young readers will develop an interest to save what is good of their world for others to enjoy.” Join us on February 23, 2014 for the Berta & Elmer Hader – Book Release and Collection Installation. Events will include an author reception and book signing. Selections of the Hader’s artwork will hang throughout the Concordia University George R. White Library & Learning Center. For additional information, and guided tours by appointment, contact Linda Church, director of the art & culture program, at lchurch@cu-portland.edu.

A BOOK BEFITTING THEIR TALENT.Prolific artists all their lives, Elmer Hader died in 1973 and his wife, Berta, followed three years later. Sadly, there was no book that chronicled their life’s work. Joy Hoerner Rich, the Haders’ niece, set out to change that. And change it, she did. In October of 2013, the book Berta and Elmer Hader, A Lifetime of Art was published.

“This practicum gives MAT students the opportunity to

grow personally and discover what it means to be a learner

in a different culture.”

JOIN US! Concordia invites you to the inaugural unveiling of our BERTA & ELMER HADER COLLECTION at the

George R. White Library & Learning Center

February 23, 2014 | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pmFree and open to the public

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Curiosity isthe engineof achievement

The videos of his talks to the prestigious TED Conference have been viewed more than 25 million times. He works with governments and education systems across the globe. He’s a leader in the development of creativity and innovation, knighted for his services to the arts. And when it comes to the subject of passion, he is, well, passionate. Meet Sir Ken Robinson, the featured speaker at this year’s Governor Victor Atiyeh Leadership in Education Awards.

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IF YOU’RE DOING SOMETHING YOU LOVE

AN HOUR CAN FEEL LIKE FIVE MINUTES.

IF YOU’RE DOING SOMETHING YOU DON’T CARE FOR – FIVE MINUTES CAN

FEEL LIKE AN HOUR.– SIR KEN ROBINSON

LETTING YOUR PASSIONS TRANSFORMYOUR LIFE “We’re all born with natural, creative abilities. Young

children have great confidence in their powers of

imagination and creativity. But many of us feel them slip

away as we get older. It’s vitally important for personal

and every other kind of reason that we focus on them and

try to develop them.”

His message is simple: We’re stifling creativity in our

kids. Instead of spending hour after hour in rote learning

for standardized tests, education should stimulate

students’ curiosity and imaginations and develop their

powers of creative and critical thinking in all disciplines.

Alongside the STEM disciplines there should be an equal

emphasis on the arts, humanities, and physical education

and stronger links with the world beyond school.

According to Robinson, by the time we’re adults and

have settled down into a career, “an awful lot of people

don’t enjoy what they do. We can all get more out of our

lives if we hone in on our passions – that is, the things

that really make us tick.”

ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL When asked about testing, Robinson answers, “Many

people in schools are laboring under a deadening culture

of continuous testing. One of the results of this culture

has been to reduce the curriculum, to narrow it.”

In more and more schools these days, art class,

instrumental music, singing, and even physical education

– the creative blocks that once help form a well-rounded

elementary education – are being cut. Often times, these

creative, passion-based activities are being replaced with

additional test-preparation time. “Studying for the test”

and “teaching to the test” have replaced the activities that

let children be children and express themselves.

“I’m not blaming teachers or school principals for it,”

says Robinson. “I’ve worked in education my whole life

and I work a lot with teachers in schools and I know they

are as concerned about this as I am and everybody else is.

I think it has to do with standardization. There is a view

that the way we improve education is to make it more and

more standardized.”

“So a lot of the things that people, who may be in their

40s or 50s, will remember from school – things like band

and orchestra, putting on plays, lots of interesting after-

school activities – a lot of those things are being pushed

out by this culture of standardized testing. It’s all done

with the intention to raise standards – but the irony is it’s

really not doing it. And more and more kids are dropping

out of school. More and more teachers are demoralized by

it. I know parents are very concerned about it, too.”

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BALANCING THE SCALE BEYOND SCIENCEAND MATH For years, government and industry have been

telling us that we need more students focusing on math

and science, and that’s true. But Robinson goes one

step further, saying, “Math and science are desperately

important, but they’re not enough. A great country like

this depends not only on mathematicians and scientists

and engineers, but on people who can work in business,

on artists, on people who work in the community. We

depend on a huge range of talents and abilities.”

Robinson cites a study by Vivek Wadhwa at Duke

University, exploring the backgrounds of the people

running large companies in Silicon Valley. “Wadhwa

expected them to be mainly from engineering or math

backgrounds. Actually, over 60 percent of them had

backgrounds in the arts and humanities. That tells me life

isn’t really so linear. Personal fulfillment and economic

vitality don’t depend only on math and science. But this

culture of testing is bad for math and science too. I speak

to a lot of math and science teachers who are just as

concerned that standardized testing is squashing creativity

out of their disciplines, too.”

A JOB YOU DO VS. A JOB YOU LOVE “A lot of

people don’t

enjoy what

they do. They

get through the

week and wait for

the weekend. Research

shows huge levels of

disengagement at work. You

only have to look at other

startling

LOOKING FOR TIPS ON HOW TO FIND YOUR PASSION?Adolph Evans has a few ideas. Every once in a while, you’ll meet someone who exudes passion for what they do. Someone who loves their life and lives to help others. Someone who feels compelled to help create better opportunities for present and future generations. Someone who hopes to leave the legacy of a helpful hand when they leave this earth. For Concordia, that someone is community partner Adolph Evans. When he’s not working as a senior billing analyst (or serving as Diversity Champion) with NW Natural, Evans volunteers as a board member for the Black United Fund of Oregon and as an advisor committee member for Concordia’s Governor Victor Atiyeh Leadership in Education Awards. “Finding one’s passion and living it daily is the best that anyone can do in the life. I believe we all have many passions that lie within us. I hope that everyone can express their creative passions to fulfill their calling,” says Evans. And with that, he gives us five sage pieces of advice to help us all find our passion – and our purpose.

“Life really begins when we stop just liking what we do and start doing what we like. There may be various skills that we are good at compared to others where we are passionate.”

“Once we find and begin to work in our passions over a period of time, it will lead us into more of our purpose. This will add a larger component of success to our lives, because passion is about self, whereas purpose is about others.”

“Be selfish in developing the talents that lie within, and then become selfless in sharing those same talents with the outside world.”

“The ultimate of passion to purpose occurs when what we do to make a living and to make an impact on others merges into the same vocation.”

“Your defined work or career is limited by a certain time period and is validated by wages. However, your life’s work, which incorporates your passions and purpose, will last forever and be validated by its profits to you and others.”

In addition to his jobs with NW Natural, Evans is also a consultant for local non-profits, as well as a motivational speaker and writer.

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HOW CAN YOU TELL IF YOU’RE IN YOUR ELEMENT? AT THE END OF THE DAY,IF YOU’RE DOING SOMETHING YOU LOVE TO DO,YOU CAN BE PHYSICALLY WORN OUT BUT ELATED.

figures around the world – like the growth in sales of

antidepressant drugs, levels of non-graduation from

schools, of depression and even suicides – to see that so

many people are not getting a lot from their lives and

are angry, frustrated, and unfulfilled. Education isn’t the

cause of all of these problems, but it should and could be

part of the solution.”

So how can someone unhappy with their lot begin to

turn things around? According to Robinson, “It’s about

having a balance in your life. Some point in your life

where you feel you’re doing what puts you at your most

authentic – the thing you were really made to do.”

And these people do exist. “I meet people who

absolutely love what they do, who can’t wait to get to

it.” In a recent tweet, Robinson asked people to name

jobs they would hate but other people might love. “‘How

about office cleaners?’ was one response. Well, I have a

person in the book who actually loves being a cleaner.

Somebody else asked, ‘What about working in sewers?’

A tweet immediately fired back that said, ‘My brother

works in sewage disposal and he loves every day of the

job.’ This is one of the beauties of the diversity of human

talents and interests.”

FINDING YOUR ELEMENT “Being in your element is, to me, two things,” says

Robinson. “It’s doing something that you’re naturally

good at. So part of the argument here is that we have to

have a generous conception of ability and talent. That’s

one of the problems with the education system: We have a

very narrow view of talent. But it’s not only doing things

you’re good at – I know all kinds of people who are good

at things they don’t care for. To be in your element, you

have to love it. If you love something that you’re good at,

then that’s a really great place to be in your life. And it can

evolve over time.”

“My experience is that we all have this potential. It takes

different forms for each of us because we’re very diverse.

But it’s something worth reaching for because it gives you a

sense of fulfillment that you don’t otherwise have.”

PURPOSE, PASSION, AND THE QUEST TO FIND YOUR ELEMENT To Robinson, the search for finding your element isn’t

a journey, it’s more of a quest. “A quest is where you’re

setting out to find something with a purpose and an

intention but you may not be sure where or what it is.

Finding your element can be like that.”

“I meet all kinds of adults who tell me they haven’t got

any special talents at all, they don’t have any particular

passions or interests, and I just don’t believe it. There are

plenty of people who haven’t found them, who haven’t

known where to look – it’s one of the problems with

education that we get steered away from the things we’re

passionate about.”

In his book, Finding Your Element: How to Discover

Your Talents and Passions and Transform Your Life,

Robinson provides an example. “I met someone who

was working in business and determined to become a

photographer. It was a big struggle. I’m very keen to

Feature Story

13Winter 2014

Sir Ken Robinson is the author of Finding Your Element: How to Discover Your Talents and Passions and Transform Your Life. His TED talk on passion and creativity is the most-watched video in the conference’s history.

HOW CAN YOU TELL IF YOU’RE IN YOUR ELEMENT? AT THE END OF THE DAY,IF YOU’RE DOING SOMETHING YOU LOVE TO DO,YOU CAN BE PHYSICALLY WORN OUT BUT ELATED. – SIR KEN ROBINSON

The annual Governor Victor Atiyeh Leadership in Education Award, is designed to honor a leader for their unique and important contributions to significantly improving education and is a benefit to provide scholarships for Concordia University students. Named after Oregon’s highly esteemed former Governor Victor Atiyeh for his life-long passion and leadership for education, this award is presented to the leader whose professional, philanthropic, business, civic, and/or political actions, advocacy or other leadership has profoundly changed the odds for our children to succeed in school and life. This year’s award recipient has done just that and more. Kay Toran, president and CEO of Volunteers of America Oregon for the past 14 years, has worked tirelessly to better the lives of the most vulnerable, marginalized and underserved members of our community.

C O N C O R D I A U N I V E R S I T Y ’ S T H I R D A N N U A L

Governor Victor AtiyehLeadership in Education Award

February 4, 2014 | 6:30 pm – 9:00 pmPortland Art Museum

presented by HotChalk, Inc.

featuring

Join us!

KAY TORANHONOREE

SIR KEN ROBINSON, PHDKEY NOTE SPEAKER

BECOME A SPONSOR / PURCHASE TICKETS / MORE INFO:

WWW.CU-PORTLAND.EDU/ATIYEHOR CONTACT US BY CALLING 503-280-8505 OR 800-321-9371

OR EMAILING FOUNDATION@CU-PORTLAND.EDU

underline that – I’m not suggesting some Pollyanna

approach to this. Finding your element is not just about

passion and aptitude; it’s about attitude and opportunity.

It isn’t about walking away from your responsibilities

and leaving everything behind…it’s about trying to find

a purpose in your life and being honorable and true to

yourself.”

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE “Everybody’s life is different and everybody has to face

their own struggles. But your life’s not over until it’s over,

and it’s never too late. I think if people looked at how

much time they spend in doing things they dislike, things

where they fritter their time away, they may well find

there are opportunities they hadn’t seen before. If you

take the trouble to find your talents and the things that

excite you, new opportunities open up that you hadn’t

even considered were there. It’s like a whole new portal

becomes available to you. It’s about making a conscious

effort. But it’s not a 10-step program. In the end, it’s up to

you. What I’ve tried to do through my books and talks is

to give some guidelines and tools that make it possible.”

Current Issues

14 concordia connection

Prefrontal Cortex

Temporal Lobe

Brain Stem

Cerebellum

Occipital Lobe

Visual

Taste

Hearing

Parietal Lobe

Sensorimotor

Smell

Passion. Finding your sweet spot,

living out your dream, doing what

you love to do. Sounds great. But

how do you get there? Concordia

psychology faculty members Erin

Mueller, PhD and Reed Mueller, PhD

help us understand the concept of

“passion” through a psychological

lens. They demonstrate how science

effects passion, the difference

between “harmonious” and

“obsessive” passion, and the impact

passion has on your health, career,

and service.

THE SCIENCE OF PASSION

Scientifically, there is an increase

in activity in the left prefrontal cortex

when engaged in activities that

create joy. Dopamine – a chemical

messenger that helps transmit

signals in different centers of the

brain – facilitates the connection

between the left prefrontal cortex

and the emotional centers in the

brain. Dopamine pathways are key in

the positive goal-directed behaviors

involved in living your passion. In

fact, the bigger your goals, the greater

the level of dopamine activation.

WHEN IS PASSION NOT A POSITIVE?

There are two kinds of passion –

harmonious and obsessive. The

difference, in a nutshell, is whether

you control it (harmonious)

or it controls you (obsessive).

Harmonious passion is meaningful

but not overpowering. It allows

you to experience benefits across

many areas of your life, including

relationships as well as physical

and psychological health. Obsessive

passion, on the other hand, is

associated with negative outcomes

and an uncontrollable desire to

The Psychology Behind Living a

3 KEY AREASthat benefit from living your passion:

HEALTH: A lower risk of disease

OCCUPATION: Higher job satisfaction

SERVICE: Closer to God and the core of who we are

life of passion

Current Issues

15Winter 2014

engage in a negative activity. If

you feel an uncontrollable urge to

engage in gambling, for example,

the Muellers suggest that the activity

may be controlling you – causing a

downturn in your mood and conflicts

in your life.

THE INFLUENCE PASSION HAS

ON YOUR LIFE

There are three key areas that

benefit from living your passion:

HEALTH: Living out one’s passion

(along with other positive emotional

experiences) is associated with better

overall health. Passionate people tend

to have a lower risk of cardiovascular

disease, diabetes, and pulmonary

disease. Conversely, immune function

is enhanced.

OCCUPATION: Research shows

that regardless of your field of

work – be it professor, nurse, truck

driver, bank teller, etc. – respondents

who see their work as a career or

calling report higher job satisfaction

than those who see their work

primarily as a means to an end. One

caveat, however, is the danger of

overworking, which can result in the

loss of involvement with family and

friends. Too much work can become

an obsessive passion.

SERVICE: According to the

Muellers, service to others is

perhaps where we connect to

our passion at the deepest levels.

When we live outwardly through

serving others, we get closer to

how God designed us and, thus,

closer to the core of who we are

and who we are meant to be.

Having a servant’s heart allows us

to live a life of passion.

PASSION’S BOTTOM LINE

“Passion matters!” say the

Muellers. “Harmonious passion

is associated with benefit to the

individual, those around him

or her, and presumably, to the

broader community.” Their advice

is simple: “If you’ve found your

passion, enjoy it! If you’re still

looking, know that this is natural

and takes time. Until you find

your passion, be open to new

possibilities. Be sure to season

your passion with meaning.

Linking your passion with service

can enhance both the enjoyment

of your passion and its meaning.”

“If you’ve found your passion, enjoy it! If you’re still looking, know that this is natural and takes time. Until you find your passion, be open to new possibilities.”

» Dr. Erin Mueller and Dr. Reed Mueller, Professors of Psychology

Concordia’s new Master of Arts in Psychology: Community Psychology

offers a distinctive approach to transforming communities. This degree prepares students to advocate for a community’s well-being, and to build collaborative relationships between individuals, groups, government agencies, and non-profits.

Enroll now for Fall 2014 and receive our Professional Toolkit – free textbooks, iPad, and membership to APA Division 27, the Society for Community Research and Action.

For more information, visit: cu-portland.edu/MAinpsychology

Passionate About Your Community?

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY-PORTLAND

Alumni Notes

16 concordia connection

What’s New in Your Life?Stay in touch and keep us posted on all of your news... new baby, new job, new spouse, new house, great vacation, milestone anniversaries, or recent retirement? Send us an email and give us the update on what’s happening in your life. Feel free to include photos, especially high-resolution (300 dpi) wedding and baby pictures:

Or send mail to Alumni Notes, 2811 NE Holman Street, Portland, OR 97211

EMAIL: alumni@cu-portland.edu

Alumni Notes

1962Don Rousu, JC married Ruth Kovac on May 26, 1967, graduated from Concordia Seminary St. Louis in 1968, pastored First Lutheran Church in Fort Benton, Montana from 1968 to 1975, then Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Edmonton, Alberta from 1975 to 1986. Four years of wilderness wanderings led Don and Ruth into the Canadian Vineyard Movement where they eventually assumed several roles of regional and national leadership, and wherein they continue to pastor to this day. The Rousus have two daughters, two sons, and ten grandchildren. In January 2013, Don and Ruth turned the leadership of Harvest Vineyard Christian Fellowship over to their son, Nathan, and continue to serve full time under his leadership. Don’s lifetime goal is to be working only forty hours a week when he dies. Workaholism is beginning to lose its grip!

1963Br. John “Jack” Isbell, JC has been a priest in an independent Catholic church since 1998. He graduated from Valparaiso University in 1965 and from Virginia Theological Seminary with an MDiv in 1971. He was ordained as a priest in the Episcopal Church in 1972.

Isbell served in several churches until 1998 when he was consecrated a Bishop for the Ecumenical Catholic Church. He has also been a licensed clinical social worker for over 27 years. He earned an MSW from University of Hawaii in 1982, taught social work courses at Hawaii Pacific University, and recently retired from teaching in May of 2013. Isbell is the Minister General for the Franciscans of the Holy Cross, Presiding Bishop of the International Ecumenical Catholic Church, and a life-professed member of The Franciscan Order of the Holy Cross. He says, “I will always remember fondly my initial college years at Concordia! I hope Concordia alumni will contact me when they are in Hawaii!”

1970Eunice Schroeder completed two master’s degrees and a doctorate in ministry. She terms her work “sacred journey ministries” and it includes her passion for being a spiritual director (with offices in both Portland, OR and Vancouver, WA). She guides seekers on a sacred labyrinth and teaches in the MDiv program at Marylhurst University. Schroeder also teaches world religions at Portland Community College.

1986Cheryl Anglin moved to California after graduating and taught in both LCMS and public schools. In 2011, she moved to northern Maine (eleven miles from the Canadian border) and is teaching in an Early Head Start program. She says, “I love working with Early Head Start. The little ones in my class touch my heart on a daily basis and it is truly a blessing to serve their families.”

1987Melissa (Musfeldt) Young has been living in Perth, Australia for the last twelve years, a city she says is far closer to Bali, Indonesia than to Sydney. She is fond of the fact that she can walk down a hill near her house and stand next to the Indian

Ocean or watch kangaroos hop by her on morning walks. Young is currently the executive manager of organizational strategy and development for Perth Home Care Services. Since she graduated from Concordia, she has used her passion for the aged, the disabled, and those that struggle with mental illness to effect change across non-profits and government agencies in both the United States and Australia. She also serves on

Alumni Notes

17Winter 2014

the Board of Aged and Community Services for Western Australia. Young has two sons: Justin, who is a senior in high school and Joshua, a 7th grader. She says of her Concordia education, “I believe my passion for working and thinking strategically was enhanced by my time at Concordia. I certainly had the opportunity to experience a different worldview by going on choir tour to Japan and Hong Kong. I also valued the discussions – both formal and informal – with professors who encouraged me to think differently, think bigger, and who reinforced God’s grace in my work and in my life.”

1990Nathan Mosley has established a non-profit youth organization called Gunners Baseball Club that uses baseball as a tool to teach life lessons through tournament level competition for those looking to take their passion to the next level. He says of his time at Concordia, “As a student-athlete, I learned focus, direction, and time management – things I use daily in my professional life. Being part of the baseball program instilled values such as what it means to be on a team, defining roles and responsibilities, and maintaining trust.” He resides in Portland, Oregon.

1998Joseph DeScala is serving as pastor of adult ministries at Lighthouse Christian Pentecostal Church in Port Angeles, Washington. He accepted the call to be a pastor there on a leap of faith – the day after he decided to quit his job as a car salesman – feeling that God wanted him to enter marriage ministry. “I am grateful for God putting Christian opportunities for growth in front of me at Concordia, such as chapel. I’m also grateful for the mentorship of Dr. Kunert that helped me to see science through the lens of faith and by answering questions over lunch about the Christian faith while I was living an antagonistic, atheistic life.” He has two children: a son, named Javen (9), and a daughter, named Kedryn (6).

2005JoAnn Jackson, MBA ’07 has been employed for the last four years with the State of Oregon as a principal executive manager in the Center for Vital Statistics within the Center for Public Health Practice. In this capacity, she is also the director of contracts with the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program part of the National Center for Health Statistics and the Center for Disease Control Prevention. In addition, for several years, she served as a professional mediator contracted to provide mediation and workplace consulting services to businesses and nonprofits throughout the state for the Oregon Mediation Association. Jackson enjoys being a grandmother to Keara (7) and Ethan (4). Her grandchildren live in New York City with her son and their mother. Dr. Jillian Sturm Moshay traveled to a rural area of Ethiopia for four months after graduating from Concordia and worked at a hospital through a Christian organization called Project Mercy. The following year, she started medical school at the University of Washington. During her time in medical school, she went back to Ethiopia for an additional two months and completed public health work. Dr. Moshay met and married her husband, Shaun during medical school. She graduated from the University of Washington in 2010 with her MD and Global Health certificate. Dr. Moshay went on to McGaw Medical Center at Northwestern University in Chicago where she has spent the last three years completing a family medicine residency program. She returned to Ethiopia in 2011 with one of her professors to establish a relationship between Northwestern University and Jimma University, a medical school in southern Ethiopia. She graduated from Northwestern this summer and moved to Kirkland, Washington to work with Group Health Cooperative doing outpatient primary care in the Seattle suburbs.

2007Cara E.P. Berg teaches music at the Firm Foundation Christian School to pre-school through high school students. Her curriculum includes concerts, a worship band, chapel services, and piano

lessons. She says that she truly believes God used her time at Concordia to prepare her for this work. Berg resides in Battle Ground, Washington.

2008Amy Esmeier married Stephen

Botelho of Salinas, California in April of 2012. They are living in the beautiful Monterey Peninsula where Amy works as a registered nurse at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula and Steve is a harvesting supervisor for Taylor Farms.

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Alumni Notes

18 concordia connection

William Merkel is a substitute teacher and has a self-published novel titled, Legacy of a Human Being. He resides in Beaverton, Oregon.

Audrie (Lambert) Wright is thrilled to announce that the book she has been working on since graduation is now finished. A Rare Copy is a “philosophical-fiction novel about knowing and being known. It’s the story of a girl who turned into a book, and learned how to read others, as they read her. As you turn the pages, you see how the Gospel of Christ can change a person’s story, from the inside out. What is your story? If you were a book…what would you be about?” To learn more, visit: www.ararecopy.com

2009Natalya Pavlenko describes the best moments of her nursing career after graduating from Concordia: “The smiling grandpas and grandmas appreciate the smallest care and act of kindness. They enjoy sharing their life stories. They patiently listen as I share about my daughter’s first day of school. They call me an ‘RN - Real Nuisance’ as I wake them up at one in the morning for my assessment. Weighing the cost of my education versus the rewards of my job – there is no contest. To build a bond and have the opportunity to care for the physical, emotional, and spiritual person is the greatest reward. It is the best reimbursement I can receive for the efforts put into my receiving a Bachelor of Science in Nursing through Concordia University.”

Smooth Sailing for Concordia Grad with a Passion

For some people, passion takes the form of a favorite charity or a personal cause. For others, it’s a professional sports team or beloved

alma mater. For Frank Balmer, a 1961 graduate of Concordia High School, the passion is as big as the high seas. “My dream of sailing around the world was hatched when I was a student sitting in the Concordia lounge watching Gardner McKay’s Adventures In Paradise.”

LIVING THE DREAM “My wife Janice and I took early retirement from teaching and started a sailing trip around the world in our 50 foot yacht ‘Freewind’ in 2003. We traveled for the next ten years, laying over in various ports during the winter storm season. We made layover stops in Mexico, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Thailand/Malaysia, Turkey, Italy, Spain, England, and the Canary Islands.” “Highlights of our trip included visiting French Polynesia, Laos, Cambodia, India, Nepal, Yemen, Oman, Sudan, Egypt, and Israel. We visited several of the Apostle Paul’s church locations throughout Asia Minor – known today as Turkey – as well as exploring many of the early Christian churches in Israel, Egypt, Turkey, and many throughout Europe.”

A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE As with most amazing trips, all good things must come to an end. For the Balmers, that end came abruptly when their yacht was hit with equipment failure during a massive winter storm in the mid-Atlantic, the day after Christmas, 2012. “We were rescued by a Taiwanese cargo ship and taken to the Amazon in Brazil,” says Balmer with a feeling of gratitude. “We consider ourselves lucky to have been rescued, and although we lost everything but the clothes on our backs, we escaped with our lives and only minor injuries.” Passion can be simple or complex, big or small. The key is to find out what really gets you going and makes your heart sing. For Frank Balmer, it meant mapping his course and sailing around the world on the trip of a lifetime.

Alumni Notes

19Winter 2014

2010 Becky Carlson moved to North Carolina after graduation to pursue a Master of Library Science at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. In August 2012, she moved to Springfield, Missouri to become the director of the Nursing and Health Sciences Library at Southwest Baptist University. “I credit the wonderful librarians and staff at the CU Library for first showing me all that an academic library can be.”

Derek Hines and Kati (Satterberg) Hines ’12 were married on July 24, 2013 at Rockaway Beach, Oregon. The couple was married by former Concordia campus pastor, Rev. Orlie Trier, and associate dean for student development, Megan Bouslaugh. Derek recently passed the CPA exam and is currently an accountant with Cambia Health Solutions after working for two years at Albertina Kerr Centers. Kati is a licensed teacher on the faculty at Portland Christian Elementary School. The couple resides in Portland, Oregon.

Tom Knapp spent much of his time since graduation volunteering while also working towards his MBA in healthcare administration online through Concordia Chicago. He volunteered for a year with the City of Beaverton’s Sister Cities Program and over two years with Free Geek, a non-profit focused on getting used technology refurbished or recycled. A major project of his has been working on his leadership and speaking skills with Toastmasters, where he serves as secretary for the oldest club in Oregon and as vice president of membership for a club in Beaverton. Currently, he’s looking forward to starting a post-graduate internship at Shriners Hospital for Children in Portland and graduating from Concordia Chicago this spring.

Geoffrey (Pollington) Majetich married Amanda Majetich in October of 2012 at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Richland, Washington, where the couple resides. Geoff has plans to attend seminary.

2011Michelle Anderson recently accepted a job in the Child Development Center at NIKE’s World Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon as an associate teacher. She has completed several competitive runs and was a recent finisher in the Spartan Race. She resides in Vancouver, Washington. Kevin Burk and his wife, Melissa, welcomed their son, Jackson, in May of 2012. Kevin says of his family, “We are all healthy, happy, and having fun!”

Raluca Dinca will marry fellow Concordia alum, Odie Hollingshed III ’12, in July. She accepted a full-time teaching position in kindergarten for the David Douglas School District. When she has time, she still enjoys coaching high school volleyball at Catlin Gabel and club volleyball

for North Clackamas Volleyball Club.

Jacob Pearson was accepted to do research at OHSU after graduation, and in the spring of 2013 served on the Concordia MSD primary assessment advisory board.

2012

Aria Nojima and Tim Wyland ’12 were married on August 10,

2013 and embarked on a month-long honeymoon – cruising and backpacking across Europe. Highlights from their trip included Rome, Pisa, and Venice in Italy, as well as Mykonos, Greece.

Lauren Scheel was hired as a teacher at INTO-OSU at Oregon State University following graduation. There, she taught a variety of English language classes for international students seeking to improve their skills or earn a degree in the United

States. Lauren says, “I absolutely loved teaching at OSU! I had amazing students from all over the world, and it was as much of a learning experience for me, as it was for my students.” She also taught an ESL class at the Broadway Life Center in Salem, Oregon – the same program she began volunteering for as a graduate student at Concordia. Lauren says that one of the reasons she wanted to pursue a career in TESOL is the ability to live and travel overseas. After a lot of prayer, she came across a job posting for a teaching position in Danang, Vietnam and moved there in May of 2013. Lauren feels a great connection to this part of the world because her adopted sister was born in Danang. She says, “The master’s in TESOL program at Concordia was a wonderful program that not only provided theoretical knowledge about language learning and teaching, but it also equipped me with the skills necessary to successfully teach a variety of students in all different settings.”

Alumni Notes

20 concordia connection

FEBRUARY 2CU Sunday: String Ensemble Playing in Worship, Triumphant King Lutheran Church, Lake Oswego, OR

FEBRUARY 4Concordia's Third Annual Governor Victor Atiyeh Leadership in Education Awards, Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR

FEBRUARY 9CU Sunday: Christi Crux Vocal Ensemble Singing in WorshipChrist the Vine Lutheran Church, Damascus, OR

FEBRUARY 21Choral Ensemble Concert featuring “Requiem” and “Cantique de Jean Racine” by Gabriel Fauré, St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, Portland, OR

FEBRUARY 23Choral Ensemble Concert featuring “Requiem” and “Cantique de Jean Racine” by Gabriel Fauré, Zion Lutheran Church, Portland, OR

FEBRUARY 23Unveiling of the Berta and Elmer Hader Art Collection

MARCH 7Annual Small Instrumental Ensemble Concert featuring Brass, Handbell, and String Ensembles

MARCH 9Annual Wind Ensemble Concert

APRIL 13Annual Spring Concert, Featuring Choral and Instrumental Ensembles

MAY 3TEDx ConcordiaUPortland

JUNE 1012-Day Tour of Turkey and Greece with Dr. Michael Thomas

Dani Tinker is currently the community manager at the National Wildlife Federation, where she gets to support the environmental, outdoor, and natural education of all ages in new and creative ways. She says, “the things I learned at Concordia are now essential

as I determine how best to communicate and educate the greater NWF community.” She resides in Washington, D.C.

Tana Whittenburg relocated to Seattle, Washington and is working as an insurance broker.

2013Olivia Haglund recently started working as a residential skills specialist (RSS) at Rosemont Treatment Center and School, a secure residential treatment program for girls aged 12-17 facing combined mental health and substance abuse challenges. The treatment philosophy at Rosemont is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). As one of the RSS’s, she works with a team that supervises the girls while they are in the dorm. “I get to facilitate activity, skill building, and alcohol and drug groups with the girls, and help

the therapists with DBT

groups.” Haglund describes the job as “rewarding, exhausting, inspirational, and challenging. I am learning so much about mental health, drug and alcohol counseling, DBT, and about the kind of counselor I want to be.” She goes on to say, “I am considering graduate school in counseling in the near future, but definitely want to take my time so I can continue working full time and gaining more experience first. One of the reasons I have felt prepared for and supported in this challenging job is the social work program and faculty at Concordia. Sonja, Christie, and Julie – you have all been so encouraging as I have begun this work! Thank you for continuing to care about my professional development and learning even after graduating!”

Stephanie Reissner, MAT has started her own non-profit called the Meaningful Music Foundation. This organization aims to reach individuals with special needs through music – at an affordable cost to the family and/or organization, or even no cost, if deemed appropriate. The foundation works with everyone from toddlers to

adults, providing private lessons, group workshops, and program development for other organizations. “It has been an amazing experience, and one made possible by earning my master’s degree!” To learn more, visit: www.meaningfulmusicfoundation.org. Reissner resides in Reistertown, Maryland.

Stay in the loop and get details on events & more at cu-portland.edu/alumni

In MemoriamSupporters & Friends

Ramona E. (Lenaburg) Barnard (88) passed away on October 27, 2013 at home from cancer. Her heartbroken family includes her husband of 66 years, James Barnard; daughters, Claudia Barnard and Karen Martz (Glenn); grandsons, Kyle Voge (Sarah) and Ryan Voge (Jessica); granddaughter, Kendra Martz; great-grandchildren, Natalie, Lucas and Owen Voge. Mrs. Barnard graduated from Salem High School in 1943, then worked as a dental assistant for a Salem, Oregon dentist for three years. She and her husband, James, were married on August 30, 1947. In 1953, Barnard and partner Elwyn Kinney formed a building contracting firm, Barnard and Kinney, where Mrs. Barnard worked as the secretary/bookkeeper/unofficial “CFO” for 22 years before retiring in July 1984. In retirement, she volunteered with Loaves and Fishes, served on several church committees, participated in golf and bowling leagues, traveled with James, and gave love and counsel to her grandchildren. She was a lifelong Lutheran and an active member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church.

Hubert “Hugh” Pillette (89) of Centralia passed away on October 17, 2013. Hugh was born in Chehalis, Washington on March 12, 1924. He is survived by his children, Denise Pillette of

Alumni Notes

21Winter 2014

What Color is Your Passion?

“I believe that by putting good things out into the community you will

receive positive things in return,” says DJ Widmer, MBA ’06. And that’s exactly what he has been doing as vice president of sales of Yolo Colorhouse – an environmentally responsible paint company based in Portland. But Widmer doesn’t define his success on financial statements alone. As a Christian, he and his wife, Summer, are serious about giving back to their community. Their involvement has included serving on the boards of several non-profit organizations, including United Way and Catholic Charities.

PAINT THE TOWN…ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY RED Since his time as an undergrad, Widmer has had one main focus: creating sustainable enterprises that will give back to the Portland community and beyond. Yolo Colorhouse began with the idea that major paint companies had limited selections of environmentally friendly paint. Concerned by how toxins in paint affect both the natural environment and the health of families, Widmer set out to build something better – creating Yolo to fill a natural niche in the paint market. Yolo recently began an incredible partnership with two business giants to carry their paint – Home Depot and Amazon. “So far, sales have been booming,” says Widmer. And while many young entrepreneurs might consider a move to the larger markets of NY or LA, Widmer points out that Portland has a unique edge on these markets for those wanting to create a sustainable business.

“Portland is especially friendly to entrepreneurs,” says Widmer. “Everyone is willing to help one another develop ideas and succeed. People in Portland, no matter what their role is in industry, are willing to grab coffee with you, sit down, mentor, and share networks. CEOs will knowledge-share. Investments are starting to grow in Portland, which is really exciting.” COLOR ME CONCORDIA When asked why he chose to pursue his MBA at Concordia, Widmer explains, “The flexibility of the schedule was the deciding factor for me. I am a busy professional and it was great to go to class one weekend a month and work on my own for the rest of the time. Building a company is time-consuming and the Concordia MBA made it easy to accomplish both.” His recommendation to Concordia business students interested in starting their own business is simple. “If you’re passionate, persistent, positive, and patient, you will succeed. You may have to pick up the phone again and again, and it may be a slow road to success. But you can do it.”

Portland, Oregon, Brian (Lori) Pillette, Hood River, Oregon and Kerrie (Joe) Carlson of Chehalis, Washington; brother, Edgar Pillette of Myrtle Point, Oregon; niece, Genevieve Hill of Centralia; grandchildren, Shawna Carlson Gray (Jacob) of Healdsburg, California, Dana Carlson of Nashville, Tennessee, Janae and Chelsea Pillette of Monmouth, Oregon; step-children, Shawn (Debbie) Grose of Centralia, Jody (Rick) Lane of Castle Rock; and step-grandson, Brandon Grose of Centralia. Pillette was a dedicated friend of Concordia University, and his family requests in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Hubert and Janet Pillette memorial scholarship fund.

Richard “Dick” Weniger (68), longtime friend of Concordia, passed away on November 6, 2013 in Portland, Oregon after a brief illness. He graduated from Concordia College in Seward,

Nebraska where he earned a bachelor of science in English and a master of education in administration. He attended Springfield Seminary in Springfield, IL and married his high school sweetheart, Martha Hutton, on August 2, 1969. Weniger was a teacher and principal of Lutheran schools in Oregon, Utah, and Missouri. He also served as the director of operations at the Concordia University Portland Foundation, executive director of Urban Education Ministry in Bronxville, NY, and executive director of Portland Lutheran School. He was a board member of the Open Arms Institute also. Most recently, he served as the executive director for Urban Education Ministry for the Northwest District LCMS. He is survived by a son, Michael Weniger, daughter, Cristy Diaz, and four grandsons: Blake, Grant, and Trent Weniger, and Kyle Diaz. His children, Michael and Cristy, both graduated from Concordia University-Portland.

Navy & White

22 concordia connection

With almost 400 career matches under his belt as head coach

of the Cavaliers, it’s safe to say that game No. 393 will be one Grant Landy will not soon forget. Coming up just short in three previous trips to the NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship finals, the Cavaliers walked off the field as national champions in 2013.

Landy, who notched career win number 300 earlier in the season, guided the Cavaliers to the No. 1 ranking in the NAIA Coaches’ Poll midway through the season, a perch the Cavs would not surrender as the team would reel off 18 straight wins and go on to outscore its postseason opponents 14-to-1. Before the championship run, Concordia once again ran through its Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) slate, going 9-0-0 for its 10th undefeated conference season since

1998. In the CCC Tournament, the Cavaliers quickly dispatched Southern Oregon University 2-0 and Northwest University 3-0 to earn its 13th straight appearance to the NAIA National Championships. From there, a 3-0 win over William Jessup University, California, in the opening round sent the team to the final site of the tournament. Played out in Orange Beach, Alabama, the Cavs defeated No. 10-seeded St. Thomas University, Florida, 2-0, and No. 5-seeded Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Florida, by a 1-0 margin to set up a semifinals match against the returning national champions and top-seeded Blue Raiders of Lindsey Wilson College, Kentucky. Dominating play but unable to break a 1-1 tie in regulation, senior forward Hannah Scott found her way into the mixer for a header goal in the second overtime. The Golden Goal in the 103rd minute pushed Concordia into the tournament finale for the fourth time in the last ten years. After outshooting Lindsey Wilson 18-to-3, the Cavs maintained their relentless pace, blistering 24 shots in the championship against Westmont College, California, while the defense held the Warriors to four attempts en route to its NAIA-leading 18th shutout of the season. Scott once again came through for the decisive goal, putting away a 20-yard shot into the

upper-left corner of the net for her third game-winning score of the tournament. For her efforts, Scott was honored as the NAIA Championship Outstanding Offensive Performer. Scott was joined by senior defender Samantha Johnson, senior midfielder Hannah Kimsey, and junior defender Jasmin Ayala on the all-tournament team. Ayala, who played a key role in the NAIA’s top-ranked defense, was selected the Championship Most Valuable Player. With a 22-1-1 overall record, Landy, the overwhelming favorite for NAIA National Coach of the Year, improved his career record to 311-58-24 (.821) over 17 years. Kimsey was named NAIA National Player of the Year in addition to repeating as a First-Team All-American. Johnson joined her as a first-teamer and was also tabbed as the CCC Defensive Player of the Year. Erin Huisingh, a junior forward, joined the list as a third-teamer and Ayala received honorable mention recognition. In addition to the NAIA accolades, nine Cavaliers earned All-CCC recognition. Ayala, Johnson, Huisingh, and Kimsey were selected to the first team while Scott, junior forward Ashley Ames, and senior forward Alex Blalock made the second team. McKayla Madison, a sophomore midfielder, earned honorable mention recognition and freshman midfielder Bobbi Eckler was dubbed the Newcomer of the Year.

Cavalier Women’s Soccer Team Wins National Championship!THE ULTIMATE GOAL

Navy & White

23Winter 2014

Fall Teams Produce Winning EffortsMEN’S SOCCER After a pair of early-season wins, the Cavs opened the CCC season on the road where Northwest University stunned the three-time champs 3-2. The Cavs reeled off four straight wins before then suffering their second conference loss at Corban University. Following another setback against Northwest in overtime, the Cavs settled back into their groove, outscoring their opponents 20-to-2 in taking six straight matches. Opening the CCC Tournament on the road, Concordia dismantled Northwest 4-0 in a grudge match in Kirkland, Washington, to advance to the title game. With the trophy on the line, the Cavs outshot Corbon University over 90 minutes of play, but failed to score. A goal given up in the 83rd minute would eventually end Concordia’s season with a 15-5-0 overall record. Leading the CCC in goals and points, Septi Danciu closed out his career with his second straight CCC Player of the Year award and was named an NAIA All-American for the second straight season. With 54 career goals, Danciu also finished as the school’s all-time leading scorer, breaking Eric Desenberg’s former mark of 52 goals generated from 1991-95. Joining Danciu on the All-CCC squad were seniors Radcliffe McDougald and Jordan Green.

VOLLEYBALL Ending the with a 23-7 overall record under fifth-year head coach Melanie Hambelton, Concordia volleyball made major advances in 2013. Returning nearly its entire roster from a year ago, the Cavs opened their season by upsetting a pair of top-25 teams while competing in a tournament in Southern California. The hot start continued as Concordia opened its CCC season with eight straight wins which propelled the team into the national rankings for the first time in over a decade – reaching as high as 19th in the NAIA Coaches’ Poll. Behind All-CCC selections Lindsay Mangan and Mariah Raudsepp, the Cavs finished third in the conference and posted a pair of wins in the CCC Tournament, defeating Oregon Tech 3-0 at home and Eastern Oregon 3-2 in the semifinals. Advancing to the CCC title game for the first time since 2002, the Cavs eventually fell to the seven-time defending champion Coyotes from The College of Idaho.

CROSS COUNTRY Missing several key contributors due to redshirting seasons or injury, the Cavs mustered sixth-place finishes at the always-loaded CCC Championships, but qualified two individuals to the NAIA National Championships in Lawrence, Kansas. A newcomer to the men’s program, freshman Eric Alldritt paced the Cavs at all six competitions

of the season. After placing third at conference, Alldritt went on to place 13th overall at nationals to become just the

fifth Concordia student-athlete to

earn All-American honors in the sport. On the women’s

side, junior Sarah Whybark

progressed throughout the year after

being slowed early on with an injury. Whybark

placed 13th at the conference meet before placing 35th overall

out of more than 300 competitors, missing out on All-American accolades by just nine seconds.

Lindsay Mangan & Mariah Raudsepp

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24 concordia connection

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE

LOCATION: Anchorage, AlaskaFOUNDED: 1977ENROLLMENT: 20,643MASCOT: SeawolvesCOLORS: Green & GoldCHANCELLOR: Tom Case

Concordia is on Track to Join NCAA Division II

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY

LOCATION: Portland, OregonFOUNDED: 1905ENROLLMENT: 5,400MASCOT: CavaliersCOLORS: Navy & WhitePRESIDENT: Dr. Charles E. Schlimpert

Moving to the Big Leagues

Over the past 30 years, the Concordia athletic program has witnessed two seismic shifts. The first came in the mid-1980s when Concordia added men’s soccer (1985), volleyball (1985), softball (1990) and women’s soccer (1995) to the existing roster of basketball and baseball, doubling the size of the athletic department. The second leap forward came after the new millennium. Adding golf (2003), cross country (2005), and track & field (2006) have matured the Cavaliers into a full-fledged athletic department with nearly 300 student-athletes competing across its 15 varsity seasons.

THE NEXT BIG THING These additions have paved the way for the announcement last October 24th that the Concordia Cavaliers have officially accepted an invitation to join the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, one of the premier conferences in the NCAA Division II. This invitation is the first step in the process for complete acceptance into the NCAA DII. Concordia now turns its attention to the NCAA DII application process which will culminate in a decision

by the NCAA DII Membership Committee in the summer of 2014. “Concordia athletics is pleased to have this opportunity to join one of the best conferences in all of NCAA Division II,” says Concordia Athletic Director Matt English. “Additionally, we believe our mission will align well with the Life In the Balance platform offered in Division II that stresses the balance of athletics, academics, and community engagement to create a rich experience for our student-athletes.”

Willy Ligon

Navy & White

25Winter 2014

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS

LOCATION: Fairbanks, AlaskaFOUNDED: 1917ENROLLMENT: 11,034MASCOT: NanooksCOLORS: Blue & GoldCHANCELLOR: Brian Rogers

CENTRAL WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

LOCATION: Ellensburg, WashingtonFOUNDED: 1891ENROLLMENT: 9,900MASCOT: WildcatsCOLORS: Crimson & BlackPRESIDENT: Dr. James L. Gaudino

MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY BILLINGS

LOCATION: Billings, MontanaFOUNDED: 1927ENROLLMENT: 5,335MASCOT: YellowjacketsCOLORS: Navy & GoldCHANCELLOR: Dr. Rolf Groseth

GETTING TO KNOW THE GNAC

During its 12-year history, the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) has established itself as one of the top NCAA Division II athletic conferences in the nation. Geographically, the conference spans five Northwest states and the western-most province of Canada, and boasts a strong presence in or near the largest city of each. Founded in July of 2001, Great Northwest Athletic Conference teams have had a remarkable 71 NCAA Division II Top 10 national team finishes in 14 of the 16

sports it sponsors. Upon admittance to the NCAA, Concordia will join the University of Alaska

Anchorage, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Simon

Fraser University (British Columbia, Canada), Central

Washington University, Montana

State University Billings, Northwest Nazarene University (Idaho), Saint Martin’s University (Washington), Seattle Pacific University (Washington), Western Oregon University and Western Washington University as full-time members of the GNAC.

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY BILLINGS

CENTRAL WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

SEATTLE PACIFIC UNIVERSITY

SAINT MARTIN’S UNIVERSITY

WESTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY

NORTHWEST NAZARENE UNIVERSITY

“Concordia University is honored to accept this invitation to join the GNAC. The move to NCAA

Division II is part of the university’s broader strategic vision and

will enhance the growth of our brand as a regionally prominent institution. Commissioner Dave

Haglund has done a tremendous job of leading the GNAC and we look forward to joining some of

the finest institutions in our region.”

» Dr. Charles Schlimpert, President, Concordia University – Portland

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26 concordia connection

NORTHWEST NAZARENE UNIVERSITY

LOCATION: Nampa, IdahoFOUNDED: 1913ENROLLMENT: 2,000MASCOT: CrusadersCOLORS: Red, Black, Gray & WhitePRESIDENT: Dr. David Alexander

SAINT MARTIN’S UNIVERSITY

LOCATION: Lacey, WashingtonFOUNDED: 1895ENROLLMENT: 1,250MASCOT: SaintsCOLORS: Red & WhitePRESIDENT: Dr. Roy Heynderickx

SEATTLE PACIFIC UNIVERSITY

LOCATION: Seattle, WashingtonFOUNDED: 1891ENROLLMENT: 4,120MASCOT: FalconsCOLORS: Maroon & WhitePRESIDENT: Dr. Daniel J. Martin

MAKING THE MOVE FROM NAIA TO NCAA DIVISION II:Ten Questions with Concordia Athletic Director Matt English The process involved for moving from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a long and complicated journey. Concordia’s Athletic Director, Matt English, recently sat down for a Q and A session, answering some of the most-asked questions.

QUESTION 1: First off, why make the move?

ANSWER: The move will be beneficial both to the Concordia athletics department and to the entire university. From an athletics standpoint, we’ve had tremendous success in recent history with five straight All-Sports titles in the Cascade Conference and five straight top-15 finishes in the NAIA Directors’ Cup. Many of the schools we considered peers in the NAIA – especially on the West Coast – have made the move to NCAA DII. So from a competitive standpoint, it seems like a natural fit. Additionally, we feel the NCAA DII “Life In the Balance” strategic platform is a wonderful fit with our culture here at Concordia. Achieving the balance of academic success, athletic success, and a commitment to community engagement without having to sacrifice one for another is a goal we already strive for.

QUESTION 2: How did the GNAC talks originate?

ANSWER: The commissioner of the GNAC, Dave Haglund, was previously our commissioner for the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC). We worked closely with Dave when he was part of the CCC, so it was not a hard call to make. I have a great deal of respect for Dave and consider him a friend, so we keep in touch periodically. As we began to more seriously consider a move, I reached out to Dave. He indicated there would be mutual interest as the GNAC has already had preliminary discussions regarding possible expansion.

Navy & White

27Winter 2014

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

LOCATION: Burnaby, B.C.FOUNDED: 1965ENROLLMENT: 27,000MASCOT: ClanCOLORS: Red, White & BluePRESIDENT: Andrew Petter

WESTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY

LOCATION: Monmouth, OregonFOUNDED: 1856ENROLLMENT: 6,200MASCOT: WolvesCOLORS: Red & WhitePRESIDENT: Mark Weiss

WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

LOCATION: Bellingham, WashingtonFOUNDED: 1893ENROLLMENT: 14,959MASCOT: VikingsCOLORS: Blue & BlackPRESIDENT: Dr. Bruce Shepard

QUESTION 3: Beyond athletics, what does the move mean for the university?

ANSWER: Of course, the first thing that comes to mind is the power of the NCAA and its brand. Secondly, being a member of the GNAC provides a much larger scope to highlight the Concordia brand. The GNAC members span five different states and one Canadian province – a footprint that very closely mirrors the LCMS Northwest District. Having Cavalier jerseys routinely on playing fields and gymnasiums from Alaska to Montana gives us a chance to spread the Concordia message to many more markets. Ultimately, I believe the biggest benefit to Concordia will be a much larger, more well-known platform to showcase the entire university as we continue to establish ourselves as a regionally prominent institution.

QUESTION 4: What’s next in the NCAA DII membership application process?

ANSWER: We will continue to work with our consultants in preparing our application materials for the February, 2014 deadline. The NCAA Membership Committee will review each applicant’s materials and conduct a site visit during the spring. We should know whether or not we are accepted in the membership candidacy process in mid-July.

QUESTION 5: What will be the biggest challenge moving to NCAA DII?

ANSWER: One of the biggest challenges for many schools is finding a conference to accept you – and we are fortunate to have that piece solidified. Apart from that, just learning the landscape and educating everyone on the nuances of the NCAA rules and bylaws will be a vital component. We have outstanding backing by President Schlimpert and Concordia’s administration, which is a tremendous blessing. In addition, everyone on our athletic staff is on board and ready to do whatever it takes for the Cavaliers to remain successful.

QUESTION 6: What does the membership candidacy period mean for current and future student-athletes?

ANSWER: Each year of the transition period, we will be required to file an annual report for review with the NCAA Membership Committee. Upon initial acceptance as a member candidate, we would remain an NAIA member for 2014-2015 and be able to compete for conference and national titles in that year. We would then face two ‘provisional’ years where we would play full GNAC schedules and be eligible for GNAC playoffs. However, we would not be allowed to compete in NCAA postseason competitions. As long as we stay on track with the NCAA, we would gain full membership and play for national tournament berths in 2017-18.

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28 concordia connection

QUESTION 7: Describe the differences in competition between the CCC and the GNAC?

ANSWER: If you take out the big-name teams from the powerhouse conferences of Division I, the top teams at each level are more similar than most people realize. The past few years, a number of dominant NAIA programs like Azusa Pacific and Cal Baptist in our region, have moved to DII and have already become successful on the national stage. The overall depth from the top to the bottom in the different conferences is the major difference between the NAIA and NCAA DII.

QUESTION 8: Have there been any talks of adding or removing sports?

ANSWER: As it stands, Concordia fits perfectly within the GNAC as our sports nearly parallel what the GNAC offers. We certainly have no intentions of removing any sports and at this time there aren’t any plans to add programs, either. That being said, you have to look ahead and anticipate changing landscapes in the region. I think our best interest is to make sure our current sports are well-situated so that they can be successful in NCAA DII, and that means focusing on staff, scholarships, and facilities. QUESTION 9: Speaking of facilities, are there any plans on expanding or renovating facilities?

ANSWER: With Hilken Community Stadium and the Concordia Throws Center, we are fortunate to have unique places to play and train which can go head-to-head with almost any school in the country, regardless of division. We are already working on a plan to build a new fitness center and arena. In addition, we would love to have softball closer to campus and give the rest of the track team a place to call home.

TIMELINE OF APPLICATION TO NCAA DIVISION II

OCT, 2013 Announcement of invitation to the GNAC

FEB, 2014 Deadline to formally apply to NCAA DII

JULY, 2014 NCAA announces application status of decisions

2015 NCAA reviews first-year

2016 NCAA reviews second-year

2017 Decision on full NCAA DII membership made

QUESTION 10: So, how will we fare against teams in the GNAC?

ANSWER: Many of our teams are already competitive at the NCAA Division II level and we expect to be in the hunt for conference titles in several sports immediately. We don’t want to make this move simply to make the move, as Concordia has built a widely successful department over the years and we take great pride in being a well-rounded program. We have been very intentional in our research and decision-making process to make a realistic evaluation of what it will take to be successful at the Division II level. There’s no question that it will take increased resources to sustain excellence at that level. President Schlimpert and our Council of Trustees understand that, and I believe everyone is fully committed to the road map we have in place to achieve sustained excellence academically, athletically, and in our community engagement efforts in NCAA Division II.

COMPETITION TIMELINE

2014-15 Candidacy Year One (eligible for NAIA postseason)

2015-16 Candidacy Year Two (ineligible for NCAA or NAIA postseason)

2016-17 Provisional Member of NCAA DII (ineligible for NCAA or NAIA postseason)

2017-18 Full Member of NCAA DII (eligible for NCAA postseason)

29

Nailed to the DoorNailed to the Door provides Concordia staff, faculty, alumni, and students a forum for editorial comment.

Even in the ugliest aftermath of war, one can find beauty. In the summer of 1971, I was in the U.S. Army touring East Berlin. The Cold War was at its height. The Berlin Wall completely surrounded the city of West Berlin. I saw the Soviet cemetery dedicated to those killed during World War II in the invasion against the Nazis. In the Western Sector, I saw memorials honoring those who lost their lives trying to escape from the east. This trip had a profound effect on me, so much so that I would dedicate my career to reach others with my art and design talents to serve a better world. Art is my passion. With more than 40 years of professional art and design practice, 20 of those years teaching art studio courses at Concordia, I have developed a passion to serve all students who take the art credit – especially the non-art student. I can’t tell you how many times a student has said to me, “But professor, I can’t draw…I can’t paint.” Yet I find the opposite to be true. I strongly believe that if a student applies practice to the basics of art, they can begin to develop a life-long skill, as well as a greater appreciation for the arts. When we were children, we could do anything in art and we enjoyed it. Somehow, as we grew up, that joy hid itself. Part of my task as an art instructor is to help each student, regardless of skill level, get that joy back.

For me, the passion for art stems from a concept of service, which gels perfectly with my present efforts in art teaching and creating permanent works for churches and hospitals. Part of the magic of passion, if you will, is being able to share what you love with others. It is in this spirit that we’ve initiated the Art & Culture program here in Concordia’s George R. White Library & Learning Center. Now in its fourth year, the program showcases art and photography exhibits, poetry and author readings, and numerous cultural events each year. Through this program, we have reached out with passion to service not only faculty, students, and staff, but the wider community around us. Art is a big word. It has always been a great communicator in all its aspects of personal expression. Art is all around us. It’s what we see, what we buy, what we wear, and what we live in. It’s being inspired reading a book, moved by a movie, taken to another place during an insightful play, or experiencing a sense of awe visiting a famous building. Dozens of art forms speak to us daily, often in ways we never know. In the end, a passion for art is a passion for life to be lived. I encourage you all to live your passion, whatever that may be.

» Greg Lewis, Part-Time Professor of Art, College of Theology, Arts, & Sciences, Volunteer Co-Curator Arts & Culture Program

Turning a Passion for Art Into a Passion to Serve

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TUITION & FEES FROZEN FOR UNDERGRADS For the first time in 30 years, Concordia University-Portland is

freezing tuition and fees! In an effort to help our current and

future undergrads, there will be no tuition or fee increases

through May of 2015. So if you know of anyone considering

Concordia – a high school senior or someone looking to

transfer schools, there’s never been a better time to enroll.

20% OFF GRADUATE TUITION Concordia University-Portland graduates qualify for a special

Concordia Alumni Grant, equal to 20% off tuition on most

graduate programs. This grant applies to Concordia University-

Portland programs offered on campus or online. It is available to

alumni from any of the 10 Concordia University campuses. For a

complete program listing, visit www.cu-portland.edu/academics.