A Time to Build - Concordia College

to
ATimeBuild
Concordia College

“
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity
under the heavens ... a time to
tear down and a time to build.
Ecclesiastes 3
”
Mission Statement
Concordia College Alabama prepares
students through Christ-centered education
for lives of responsible service to the
Church, community, and world.
Vision Statement
Concordia College will be a diverse,
global institution of excellence, and a leader
in developing intellectual, spiritual and moral
leaders of Christ-centered justice.

Dear Alumni, Friends, Faculty and Staff,
The opportunities before us are extraordinary, and now is the time to act boldly and wisely in faith to strengthen and
expand Concordia’s role in building Christ’s Kingdom on earth.
Concordia’s mission is to prepare students through a Christ-centered education for lives of responsible service in the
Church, the community, and the world. At this moment in time, we turn to faithful friends and alumni to embrace our
vision of becoming a diverse, global institution of excellence, and a leader in developing intellectual,
spiritual and moral leaders of Christ-centered justice.
From 2008 to 2011, Concordia’s enrollment grew by more than 24 percent, and the trend for increasing numbers of
students is expected to continue during the next decade. This growth in spite of a difficult economic environment is
indeed significant. The rising cost of higher education is a tremendous challenge for nearly all of Concordia’s student
families; yet God is drawing to our campus talented young men and women who seek the Christ-centered higher
education that Concordia provides.
“Is Concordia important to the future of our church Yes! If we are going to
reach people for the sake of Jesus Christ, we must be able to reach all ethnic
backgrounds. This institution is so diverse that it‘s really a microcosm of what
the world is. That is why we need Concordia.”
Rev. Kurtis Schultz
President, Southern District, Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
(and member of Concordia College Board of Regents)
I believe God is leading college students to Selma to accomplish His purposes, and it is our responsibility to provide an
excellent caliber of Christian higher education to fully equip these future leaders to serve the changing needs of
our Church, communities and world.
Emboldened by a gracious God and a dynamic mission, Concordia College Alabama is on the threshold of unprecedented
growth and expansion. For this reason Concordia College Alabama has launched a capital campaign under the banner
“A Time to Build.” The goal of the campaign is to improve and expand our campus with both new and
renovated facilities that will invigorate our college community.
In the book of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon writes there is “a season for everything under the sun.” Now is our season:
A Time to Build.
May our gracious God lay it on your heart to join with us as we walk in faith, sure of our cause and depending on your
prayers and generosity.
On behalf of the College’s Regents
and with joy in serving Christ,
Tilahun Mekonnen Mendedo, St.M, Ph.D.
President

A Message from the Co-Chairs
We have a passion for Concordia College Alabama: Concordia offers a wonderful opportunity for a Christian education to
students who would not be able to afford to attend a private four-year liberal arts college without the school’s
commitment to service.
This is a gem of a ministry that has been overlooked for far too long. President Tilahun Mendedo has impressed us by
his passion for education, commitment to Christ, and love for the students to create a campus community committed to
excellence. We believe there are great things ahead for this college.
The recent purchase of a new “west campus” adjacent to Concordia’s original campus sets the stage for exciting growth
in the College’s enrollment and academic offerings. Yet in order for the College to accommodate and educate a growing
student body, many campus improvements are urgently needed.
As Co-Chairs of Concordia’s “A Time to Build” campaign, it is our prayer that many hundreds of Concordia alumni and
friends will step forward and work with us. Concordia College needs your loyal support. Please pray for Concordia, and
please give generously for the facilities required to make Concordia the best Christian college in the south.
Now is the time for Concordia College to build for the future. Let us move forward with boldness, firm in the
knowledge that Concordia College is in God’s hands. This is His work, and it is our sincere privilege to be a part of it.
Rod and Mattie Olson,
Campaign Co-Chairs
Lloyd and Ruth Probasco,
Campaign Co-Chairs
Ross and Gloria Edwards,
Honorary Campaign Co-Chairs
“The reason I came to Concordia is not
the reason I’m still here. I came to play
football. However, I’m very close to
graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in
Elementary Education. I’m here now
because I want to promote the good in
others and to inspire positive change to
all those with whom I interact.”
Joshua R. Stewart
Class of 2012

A Time to Build
Concordia’s Founding
The leadership that gave rise to this unique and historic
institution of Christian higher education is nothing short of
remarkable. Concordia is the only Lutheran historically black
college in America. It was founded in 1922 as Alabama
Lutheran Academy by educator Rosa J. Young, known as
the “mother of Black Lutheranism in central Alabama.”
The College has a legacy of preparing students from a
variety of backgrounds to serve the Church and world
through numerous worthy vocations including pastoral
ministry, business, law, education, music, and medicine.
Concordia alumni teach children in schools throughout the
United States and around the world, bringing the light and
hope of the Gospel to communities in need of Christian
witness, positive role models, and educational excellence.
Since its founding, Concordia has benefited from the
enthusiastic leadership of its Board of Regents, the
faithful generosity of dedicated alumni and friends, and the
ongoing partnership in mission with the Lutheran Church.
The vision and commitment of beneficiaries throughout our
history are the foundation of the academic community we
celebrate today.
Rosa J. Young, born in 1890,
was an educator who dedicated
her life to Christian education
for her people and the founding
of Concordia College.
“People are looking to us for strength and help. They need our best efforts, our bravest
words, our noblest deeds, our tenderest love, and our most helpful sympathy. Give light
to those who are in darkness; sustain the weak and faltering; befriend and aid the poor
and needy. There is nothing more reputable to a race or nation than Christian service.”
Concordia’s Recent Past
Thanks to God’s bountiful blessing and much hard work
on the part of faculty, staff, regents, and loyal donors,
Concordia celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2012 with
enthusiasm and joy. We recognize and give thanks for the
following achievements:
• Reaffirmation of accreditation was secured in
2011, an acknowledgement of strengthening
academic programs and financial support.
• Enrollment has soared, growing by 24 percent
from 2008 to 2011.
• The Concordia community and the Lutheran
Church have rallied with prayerful and generous
support to restore the financial health and stability
of the College.
In 2012, Concordia College acquired 37 acres with 17
buildings adjacent to its existing campus which previously
served as a children’s home. Several of the buildings were
suitable for adaptation for student housing needs. By the
fall of 2011, all 10 cottages on the new campus had been
remodeled to provide housing for 200 Concordia students.
Even so, more campus housing is urgently needed for
Concordia’s growing student body.
Light in the Dark Belt, by Rosa J. Young
Keziah Thompson, ‘12,
volunteers in local schools as
part of Concordia’s partnership
with Rotary International.

A Time to Build
A Time to Build
Concordia Today
Students are the heartbeat of Concordia College Alabama.
Each story is unique, yet they share a common thread. The
great majority of Concordia students are the first generation
in their families to obtain a college education. Many come
from families with household incomes below the poverty
level. Nearly all Concordia students rely on financial aid,
and scholarship assistance in order to pursue Christian
higher education.
Simon Ajak’s journey to Concordia was difficult and dangerous.
Thankfully, our loving God directed his every step in safety.
Simon is one of the “Lost Boys of the Sudan.” During the
1980’s, government troops attacked Christian minorities in
the south where Simon and his family lived. Over a period
of eight years, Simon fled on foot from one refugee camp to
another, from Sudan to Ethiopia, back to Sudan, then Kenya
... on the verge of starvation, with little clothing, shelter or
medicine. Millions died from the conflict, thousands more
of starvation and sickness. Simon lost his entire family; his
mother, father, sisters and brothers.
Yet Simon survived. “The Lord was so helpful to me that I
stayed alive,” he says, quietly reflective. “All through my
life, the Lord has provided.”
While in Kenya, Simon joined in the work of Lutheran
missionaries. “With God’s help we planted six congregations
among refugees.” When the American government offered
to settle Sudanese orphans, Simon came first to Michigan,
then Concordia College Alabama.
Simon is one of hundreds of students God brings to Concordia
each year. While most students come from communities in
Alabama and neighboring Southern states, others come to
Selma from Africa, the Caribbean, South America and other
parts of the world. God is working out His special plan in
the life of each student.
As you prayerfully consider the future of Concordia, please
hold in your heart the lives of each and every student.
Please cherish the dream for the future that will help us
better prepare young people for lives of service to the
Church, the community and the world.
It would be difficult to overstate the degree to which
Concordia’s students rely on the generosity of dedicated
friends in order to enroll. For students like Simon, a
Concordia education is the bridge.
Student Center: A Student Center is the heart of a
college and college experience. A new multipurpose center
will position Concordia College students for the future with
excellent access to resources from around the world, and
space to meet, study and discover.
The Center will incorporate a library resource center, dining
hall, offices for student organizations, and conference/
meeting rooms. This building will become the focal point
and unify the campus.
The traditional library on Concordia’s campus has limited space
for expansion. Additionally, students need better access to
technology, as many first-generation college students do not
own laptops or computers. The current Library’s computers
are limited and heavily used. The Student Center will unite
information access and information generation with an increased
library space and an ever-changing array of research tools for
teaching, learning, and research.
The Student Center can provide the congenial atmosphere
sought by students committed to excellence. A friendly
and attractive Student Center benefits all students—those
who live on campus and commuters – by providing a
welcoming space to study and interact. The Student Center
traditionally provides the sense of community that deepens
college life and a commitment to the school.
Currently Concordia students have few socializing spaces
and no spaces where they can get a snack or cup of
coffee, other than a small room with vending machines in
the education building. A game room with pool and ping
pong tables is located on the first floor of the Kreft Center,
however there are no areas to sit and talk or get a snack.
The current dining space is too small to meet the needs
of a growing student body, thus students must eat in shifts,
and cannot gather together at one time for a meal. While
staggered eating times are not a problem in campus life,
the Kreft Center is crowded and does not afford good
socializing opportunities.
A modern dining area, student organizational space, a
learning commons and various activity areas will give students
a strong sense of the Concordia community. With wireless
internet access throughout the building, students can enjoy a
cup of coffee while doing research and studying, individually
or in small groups. Students will be able to sign out laptops
at multiple locations in the building. It is our hope that the
center will foster a sense of community on campus that will
cultivate enduring loyalty to the school.
• Library Space
• Dining Space
• Meeting areas, independent study areas
• Offices for students and faculty
• Technology upgrades

A Time to Build
Intercollegiate Athletics: Successful athletic programs
transform the college experience for all students. They
appeal to all who find the camaraderie inherent in athletic
programs an exciting and unifying element of a college
community. At Concordia, intercollegiate athletics is often
the portal through which first generation college students
pass as a means to achieving their goal of a college degree
and a better life. Currently, Concordia does not have basic
athletic facilities and must rent time at the City of Selma
field for football, soccer and track events. The lack of a
sanctioned outdoor athletic facilities makes it more difficult
to attract students and host athletic events.
At Concordia, student athletes are provided with the tools
to be successful in both the classroom and playing field.
We encourage our student athletes to take ownership of
their academic, athletic, social, and spiritual responsibilities.
Further, intercollegiate athletics builds a sense of school spirit
and loyalty that highlights the Christian mission of Concordia.
A Time to Build will help Concordia College implement
Phase I of the Campus Master Plan. In Phase I, the College
will build its first outdoor athletic facility to accommodate
football, soccer, track and field, and intramural programs.
The facility will feature:
Academic Programs: Today, Concordia College
offers undergraduate general studies, early childhood
education, elementary education and business
administration. Undergraduate education offerings will
be expanded to offer degrees in social work, criminal
justice, nursing, pre-engineering, pre-medicine, and
pre-seminary. As enrollment grows, courses will be
offered in secondary education, pharmacology, occupational
therapy, physiotherapy, theology and engineering. Within
10 years, Concordia plans to offer masters’ degrees in
business administration, arts, and education.
Classrooms and Labs: Concordia’s classrooms
currently hold a total of 365 seats. Renovations to the
Kreft Center and careful refinement of all classroom use
schedules will be necessary to accommodate the anticipated
growth in enrollment for the next five years. As academic
programs expand, new facilities will be needed.
Faculty and Staff: Concordia currently employs 20
full-time faculty, up to 40 part-time adjunct faculty, and
approximately 50 staff members. During the next
several years, the College anticipates 65 full-time faculty,
approximately 40 part-time adjunct faculty, and 100
staff members.
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• Year-round synthetic turf that will allow use
for practice and competitions for both soccer
and football
• High grade track surface
• Home and visitor bleachers to accommodate
1,200 seats
• High intensity, directional lighting for night
play with a minimum light spillage
• Digital scoreboard
Parking: Concordia’s campus today provides approximately
250 parking spaces. Growth in enrollment as well as
faculty and staff will significantly increase the need for
more parking spaces.
Community Outreach: With campus expansion,
Concordia desires to build stronger ties with the greater
Selma community. 1
3
Student Housing: Concordia’s enrollment of 719 in
2011 is projected to reach 1,000 students by 2015; and the
goal is to continue to grow to 2,000 students by 2025, with
at least 60 percent, or 1,200 students, living on campus.
The Concordia campus currently offers approximately 600
beds for student housing, and many campus residences are
in need of renovation.
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17

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Master Plan 2025
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East Campus
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West Campus
Current campus
1. Christ Chapel
2. Administration
3. Community Building
4. Cottages (current)
5. Classrooms (Exisiting Library)
6. Classrooms (Thompson and Wright)
7. Lynn Hall
8. Bakke Hall
9. Jenkins Rec Center
10. Classrooms with new facade (Kreft)
11. Residential Quad/Center Lawn
Van Yahres Associates of Charlottesville, Virginia,
prepared this master plan for Concordia College
working in consultation with faculty, staff,
students and the Board of Regents.
Future campus through 2017
12. Main Entrance
13. Soccer/Track/Football Stadium
14. Student Center/New Quad
15. Residence Hall
Future campus after 2017
16. Residence Hall
17. New Cottages and Student Park
18. Softball/Practice Field
19. Classrooms/Offices
20. Events/Exhibition Center with Auditorium
21. Residence Hall
22. Additions to existing residence halls
23. New gym/Lehman Center

fold out to see the
Master Plan
Cottages on the
West Campus
The Student Center
will become the
heart of the college.
“Jesus Christ is the center of Concordia
College. And because He is, we know
we can do all things through Christ
who strengthens us. We will be part
of a circle that will expand beyond
this campus throughout the world as
His witnesses.”
Rev. Dr. Dien Ashley Taylor
Chair, Concordia College Board of Regents
The Center will have areas for
study, research, and meeting
with other students.

“I chose to teach because I believe it is
part of what God has called me to do.
God has given His church the task of
teaching young people the faith given to
the apostles by Christ and shaping them
to be productive members of society.”
Dr. Daniel Thies
Associate Professor of Math
Cottages on the
West Campus
The Student Center
will become the
heart of the college.
The Center will have areas for
study, research, and meeting
with other students.

A Time to Build
Concordia College Alabama has developed a 2025 Master
Plan to embrace the future. The recent purchase of the
West Campus nearly triples the size of the campus from
approximately 17 to 53 acres.
The acquired property includes lovely, mature trees, historic
buildings, and attractive brick cottages that have been
adapted for student housing. Two notable structures were
obtained with the purchase of the West Campus: a large,
historic Greek Revival building on the southwest corner of
the campus and a wood-frame chapel lined with stained
glass windows located at what is to become the new main
entrance to the College.
Concordia College worked with Van Yahres Associates
of Charlottesville, VA to prepare a master plan for the
future. Collaborating with faculty, staff, students and the
Board of Regents, Van Yahres has done master planning for
over 30 colleges and universities including the University
of Dayton, Bridgewater College, Wake Forest and the
University of Pittsburgh. Full copies of the master plan are
available on request.
Concordia is poised for growth. Yet it will take the
extraordinary support of alumni and friends in order
to leverage the opportunities before us.
For Concordia College, it is A Time to Build.
“For students coming here for the first
time, I promise it’s a dream come true.
The programs, instruction, and leadership
here are outstanding. When I served
as superintendent for Dallas County
Schools, I always chose teachers who
had graduated from Concordia because
I knew they would be excellent in the
classroom. Concordia has just gotten
better and better over the years. Thank
you, Concordia, for being in Selma,
Alabama. Thank you very much.”
The Honorable George Evans
Mayor, Selma, Alabama

A Time to Build
Five Year Plan
The Concordia campus is steeped in history and tradition.
The men and women who study here are often the first
generation in their families to attend college.
The new West Campus has opened the door for Concordia’s
continued growth. The additional space was urgently needed
to accommodate the growing student body, programs and
facilities. An added bonus, the west campus fronts on
Selma’s main thoroughfare, Broad Street. Thus, while the
Concordia campus previously might have been described
as “tucked away” on Green Street, the west campus
expansion greatly increases the visibility of Concordia in the
Selma community and provides a new basis to recruit and
retain exceptional students, faculty and staff.
At this time the College must renovate existing facilities
and build new ones to accommodate a growing student
body and leverage the usefulness of the newly acquired
property. The master plan for the Concordia campus has
been expertly developed to maximize its potential service
to the College community.
Essential Renovation:
The most pressing need is to renovate existing facilities to
provide sufficient classrooms and student housing. Another
high priority is the remodeling of the large white Greek Revival
building on the west campus. It is ideal space for offices, a
bookstore and coffee shop, as well as a parent/child
enrichment center and other community-oriented programs.
New Construction:
In addition, during the next five years Concordia will need
to construct new facilities, including:
• a new student center that includes a large dining
hall, library, conference rooms and offices; and
• a new athletics field with associated parking that will
provide the opportunity to build a road connecting
the west campus with the east campus;
• technology upgrades.
Dr Rich Bimler and Rev Matthew Harrison review
Concordia’s campus master plan with President Mendedo.
“Dr. Mendedo has done a fantastic
job since his installation as
President of Concordia. He has
a great heart for education, for
ministry and for our beloved
Lutheran church. Marvelous
things are happening here. The
College is our Lutheran outpost
in Alabama – and in the South.
It’s a great gift to our Synod,
and its mission must continue.”
Rev. Matthew Harrison,
President of the LCMS
“The harvest is plentiful, but the number
of African-American workers for our
congregations, schools, and day-care
centers are few. Concordia College is
a great asset to the Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod because it has the
capacity to provide us with more of
these much-needed servant leaders.”
Rev. Dr. Jon Diefenthaler, President
Southeastern District, Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

A Time to Build

A Time to Build
A Time to Build Capital Priorities
Essential renovations of existing dormitories $ 1,900,000
New Construction
Student Center with dining hall, Library,
conference rooms and offices $ 6,000,000
“The Edmund Pettus Bridge, which crosses
the Alabama River at Selma, forever sealed
its place in history as an icon of the Civil
Rights movement. Marches across the
bridge led to the passing of the Voting
Rights Act in 1965. This was truly a ‘Bridge
to the Future!’ Concordia College provides
a Bridge to the Future for our students to
realize their full potential as servant leaders.”
Ross Edwards, Honorary Co-Chair
Athletics field with associated parking $ 2,100,000
Scholarships $ 5,000,000
Total $ 15,000,000
A Time to Build Campaign Cabinet
Co-Chairs:
Rod and Mattie Olson
Lloyd and Ruth Probasco
Honorary Co-Chairs:
Staff:
Ross and Gloria Edwards
Rev. Dr. Tilahun Mendedo, President
Board of Regents:
Dr. Dien Ashley Taylor, Chair
Mr. Lloyd R. Probasco, Vice Chair
Mrs. Bettye Brown, Secretary
Rev. Dr. Victor J. Belton, Advisor
Mr. Dennis P. Gorski
Dr. James T. Jackson
Dr. Mark Keyl
Rev. Dr. James B. Marshall
Mr. Rod Olson
Mrs. Patricia Penrose
Dr. Judy Preuss
Rev. Kurtis Schultz
Dr. Lawrence Sohn
Mrs. Ellen R. Ziehr-Lange

1712 Broad Street
Selma, AL 36701
334-874-5700
www.concordiaselma.edu