Includes HonorRoll ofDonors - Concordia College

Includes Honor Roll
of Donors

CONCORDIA
NEW YORKER
2007
Experiential & Service Learning
Experiencing Empathy by Lending a Hand
50th Reunion
A time for long-time friends
to gather once again to
share and relive their
Concordia experience.
The City as Text
New York City plays
a major role in the
development of
Concordia students.
Concordia In China
This summer, an intrepid Clipper
Crew headed to China
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AlumNotes
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The Concordia Experience
a recipe for success!
The United Nations
and Concordia
Concordia Helps Bronxville High
Stem the Tide
Dr. Loase studies Concordia
students for “Sigfluence”
Clipper Tennis Continues to Serve Up Winners
Men #1 in the East, Coach Tarangioli Coach of the Year
Women’s Tennis Perfect in Conference
Scholarship Established to Memorialize
Rev. Theodore Wittrock
Honor Roll of Donors
Calendar of Events

CONCORDIA
NEW YORKER
2007
Editor
Charlie Browne
Executive Editor
Paul Grand Pré
Contributors
Patrick Bayens, Kate Behr, Robert Boehler,
Craig Boston, Martin Conkling, Sheryl Donner,
Kathryn Meyer, Kit Nagel, Mandana Nakhai,
Peggy Rapp, Neil Tarangioli, Julie Taylor,
Mindy Warnken, Andrzej Wlodarczyk
Photographer
Flladi Kulla
Layout and Design
Jill Weddall
Moxie Create, Minneapolis, MN
The Concordia New Yorker is published annually
in the fall by the Office of Institutional
Advancement for distribution to alumni, faculty,
staff, students, parents, and friends of the
College. Concordia College-New York is solely
responsible for its content. ©2007
Contact us:
Concordia College
171 White Plains Road
Bronxville, NY 10708
phone: (914) 337-9300, x2167
email: charlie.browne@concordia-ny.edu
Alumni updates & other news:
alumni@concordia-ny.edu
mindy.warnken@concordia-ny.edu
Address changes:
julie.taylor@concordia-ny.edu
Visit our website for more information about
upcoming events: www.concordia-ny.edu
A few words on
As educators, we are always mindful of two outcomes: what is learned,
and how it is put to use. It is often assumed that as a result of the educational
experience, students will leave with more knowledge than they began. This
“quantitative” measure is important and is often measured by standardized
tests. Educational psychologists have maintained that this is only one measure
of the learning process. Just as important, is assuring that what the students
have learned has “real world” applications.
It is this dual objective that has formed the development of the curriculum at
Concordia. Recently, through a systematic effort by the faculty, Concordia has
integrated an experiential learning component into its curriculum. Its intent is
to provide a hands-on opportunity for the students to discover how knowledge
gained in the classroom finds application in the world around them.
The focus of this issue of the Concordia New Yorker is to demonstrate how
these objectives are finding fruition in the lives of our students. Take for
example the recent trip to China. It is becoming apparent that China and India
are on a race to claim a greater role in the world economic order. Students had
a unique opportunity to observe this competitive race unfolding. Such an
experience enriches their learning immeasurably.
As we move forward, the College intends to further this objective by
strengthening the link between academic and student services. Such an effort
stems from our belief that learning takes place both in and out of the
classroom. Service learning activities, like the ones discussed in this issue, are
being planned for the coming year to provide greater opportunities for our
students.
I am particularly proud of these accomplishments by our students. They will
be better prepared as they leave Concordia to serve our church and society.
Viji D. George, President
CONCORDIA NEW YORKER | 2007
3

THE CONCORDIA
a recipe for success
1
2
3
4
5
6
1 part Concordia Distinctive (core curriculum forming the foundation for
critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills)
1 Program of Study (select from Biology, Business, Education, English,
Liberal Studies, Social Sciences, and Social Work)
Season abundantly with Elective & Support Courses
Blend well with Experiential Learning (internships, study abroad, city-astext,
dialogue outside the classroom, campus life experiences, volunteer
work, clubs, and organizations)
Bake in an environment brimming with professorial interest, diverse
fellowship, and worldly awakenings
Garnish with a Capstone Project
Our unique curriculum—The Concordia Experience—
pushes students beyond intellectual boundaries and
takes their education into the world with
Experiential Learning—internships, fieldwork, study
abroad, city-as-text, and service learning. Every
Matt Hass, ’08, North Haven, CT
Liberal Studies – Biblical Languages/Religion,
Pre-Seminary
4 CONCORDIA NEW YORKER | 2007
student engages in experiential learning as a
graduation requirement, many of them taking
advantage of what we consider to be our biggest
classroom: New York City.
Taking Theology Studies to Japan
Matt Hass broke new ground this year as the first
Concordia student to study as part of our exchange program
with Japan Lutheran College, near Tokyo. He studied
Lutheran theology with the college’s Religion faculty, was
immersed in all aspects of Japanese culture, a guest in the
homes of his classmates, and enjoyed many “memorable”
dining experiences. As his semester drew to a close, he
volunteered with the Youth Ministry, an LC-MS World
Mission, and for the Lutheran Synod in Japan at an English
language camp.
While classes were taught in English, Matt knew that
outside the classroom, language could be a barrier. Once
there, however, he found his lack of Japanese added to the
adventure. “Part of the experience was learning how to relate
to people of another culture who spoke a different language,”
commented Matt. “Some of my most enjoyable evenings
were with people who spoke the least amount of English.”
He recommends this or any study-abroad program to his
classmates to “open doors you never knew existed”.

EXPERIENCE
Concordians Jodi Ashton and Caroline Jose
Caroline Jose, ’08, New Delhi, India
Liberal Studies – History, Pre-Law
Experiencing Law in Washington D.C.
Through Concordia mentor Dr. Kathryn Galchutt,
Professor of History, Caroline Jose attended The Legal
Studies Institute—a one-week academic seminar designed
to educate future law students about the political,
economic, and moral challenges which they will face in
law. Days were packed with seminars consisting of
lectures given by lawyers and law school professors,
mock-law classes, an introduction to the Socratic method,
and tips on succeeding in law school. Each participant
was assigned a young attorney mentor who could share
thoughts about the law school experience and offer
insights into the actual practice of law. Caroline found
great benefit in this relationship as it provided “vast
insight” from those who are relatively new to the field.
“Concordia has provided me numerous ‘hands-on’
learning opportunities and this is just one example. The
tremendous support from faculty and staff, in addition to
the campus environment, enables students to relax and
excel in their academics.” When asked if she still plans to
attend law school after a glimpse of “the real deal”,
Caroline exclaimed, “Most definitely!”
Maintaining the Integrity of a
National Treasure
Remy Borror interned seaside at the Statue of Liberty
National Monument-Ellis Island Immigration Museum.
Interested in teaching middle or high school history, she
thought this would be a great opportunity for an aspiring
historian. Where else can one obtain such in-depth
knowledge of our country’s premier federal immigration
station, the immigration process
of the time, and the world
events that shaped the history
of this national gateway?
Though Remy’s primary
responsibility was working in
the archives room, she also
took from this experience
some very practical
knowledge—keeping a
National Monument running
well takes not only a
dedicated staff, but also the
support of public and
private organizations to
insure its integrity and to
preserve the experience for
generations to come.
Sitting on the Court Bench
In pursuit of her Education degree, Kadeen Berlin
became interested in Educational Law. Combining this
interest with a curiosity in the criminal justice system, she
jumped at the opportunity of an internship with the
Honorable Juanita Bing Newton, Administrative Judge for
New York City Criminal Court.
In a single day, her experiential
learning ranged from sitting on
the bench with a criminal court
judge during arraignments to
meeting with various judges
and updating or creating
agency-related policy and
procedure manuals.
As Kadeen prepares for
law school in 2008, she rates
this internship as a perfect
“10”. “I have learned so
much about the structure of
the court system, as well as
myself, and how I will fare
in the work place,” said
Kadeen, “In whatever area
my law degree will be, my
goals will be geared
toward the betterment of
the individual.”
Remy Borror, ’08, Pound Ridge, NY
Liberal Studies – History
Kadeen Berlin, December ’07,
Bronx, New York
Education – Childhood
Education/English Concentration,
Fellows Program
Continued on page 9
CONCORDIA NEW YORKER | 2007
5

THE CITY AS TEXT
Going to the theatre is an integral part
of the Modern Drama class. Typically, most
students attend three or four plays a
semester so they can see the theory and
ideas discussed in class employed in front of
an audience. New York City gives us access
to a remarkable range of performances. We
have seen some wonderful productions,
some classic pieces, and some weird but
provocative dramas. One of the most
memorable was an eye-opening performance
of Brecht's The Threepenny Opera.
—Professor Kate Behr
Concordia’s Expo Day is a unique
opportunity for our students to “learn
beyond boundaries”. Each fall, classes are
suspended for a day as students and faculty
head off campus for excursions taking
advantage of the rich cultural, historical,
business, and educational opportunities of
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Paul Davis, New York Shakespeare Festival, 1976
At the Metropolitan Museum of Art:
Greek and Roman Galleries, Bust of Caesar Augustus
New York City plays a major role in the development of Concordia students. Going to “The City” for a museum
visit, art exhibition, theatrical performance, ballgame, or exotic foreign food is part of what our students do.
As experiential learning and internships become more essential components of a college education,
Concordia has begun to take advantage of all The City offers to enhance its traditional classroom learning.
So much of what is referenced in textbooks is happening just 25 minutes away: read about it…see it in practice!
Very few colleges can offer such a rich array of real life.
metropolitan New York.
For Expo Day 2006, students walked the
stage of the famous Apollo Theater in Harlem,
visited a treatment center for traumatized
children, and saw a particle accelerator in
action. “It’s all about the experience,” comments
Academic Dean Sherry Fraser: “Expo Day
provides students the opportunity to discover
the world is their classroom. It opens a window
into the world of professionals, provides an
opportunity for students to network and
explore the New York metropolitan area. Texts
are important, but seeing the pedagogy played
out in real life experiences such as the work
place helps students conceptualize the
importance of the classroom experience.”
Students from many disciplines joined the
English Department faculty to visit 125th Street
to experience the places, people, and literature
of the Harlem Renaissance through art, music,
poetry, film, and theatre. The day included a

The “Tree of Hope” at the Apollo Theater
visit to the Schomburg
Centre for Research in
Black Culture and the
famous Apollo Theater.
—Professor Mandana
Nakhai
Growing international interdependence places serious
pressures on college students to understand the dynamics of the
evolving global economy, frequently rendering traditional
textbooks quickly obsolete. New York City allows students a
unique opportunity to work with those companies that allow
learning opportunities. The Concordia Business Club plays a
vital role in identifying alumni or friends of the College who can
help develop corporate links and mentorships.
Last year, students had an opportunity to visit a trading floor
at Bloomberg L.P., the largest financial news and data company
in the world. Students not only learned about the business of
making money, but also gained appreciation of the role charity
and philanthropy play in shaping the corporate image. Other
visits have included CNBC headquarters, Goldman Sachs, The
Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and the United Nations.
Business courses are application-oriented. Frequently, students
are asked to identify one or two companies and compare them
using earlier pre-determined dimensions. Direct access to the
companies located in
New York City allows
students to interview
business leaders and use
timely real-world
examples to support the
recommendations and
hypotheses they propose
as a result of their
research.
Concordia Business Club with CNBC’s
Donny Deutsch
—Professor Andrzej
Wlodarczyk
For our Social Work students, visiting New York City is
the ultimate way to integrate theory with practice. They study
the beginnings of social work (c. 1898) at Columbia University
and begin to understand the historical significance of peoples’
flowing in and out of The City. NYC has the history and current
issues arrayed before our eyes…from the Tenement Museum
and Ground Zero to the ethnic pockets of people in their very
colorful neighborhoods. Social Work students utilize The City as
Text with their field work assignments, which could be as many
as three days a week during the school year. They could labor
and learn at the Cabrini Adult Day Care facility or Bellevue
Hospital Hospice in Manhattan, or work with persons in
recovery at a Bronx Hospital.
Students experience an interactive play with an immigrant
(actor) at the Tenement Museum; visit Ellis Island, the American
embarkation point of so many immigrants; observe people in
their natural surroundings; and augment their education by
tasting exotic ethnic foods.
Meaningful, lifechanging
experiences and
a greater understanding
and appreciation of
people—their cultures,
ethnicities, and races—
occur when students see
and experience society for
themselves.
—Professor Peggy Rapp
During the upcoming spring semester, my Issues in the
New Testament course will explore the gospels of Mark and Luke
in their literary, social, and religious contexts. The course will
take advantage of the stunning, newly-renovated Greek and
Roman Galleries of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in
Manhattan. After a detailed guided tour of the extensive
collection, students will compare the claims and world-views of
the Imperial, funerary, and domestic-religious iconography of the
early Imperial Era with the narrative claims of Mark and Luke-
Acts. Students will also utilize the Met’s incredible collection of
Imperial Era art, including a colossal head of the first Christian
emperor, Constantine the Great; four life-size busts and a cameo
of Augustus; numerous sarcophagi and funerary urns; and
several residential frescos from a villa near Pompeii.
—Professor Patrick Bayens
The Cloisters shows so much church history in the period
included in my Scripture and Faith in Context (Church History)
course. Students are advised to take a personal view of the
sacramental vessels in the museum and relate it to the place of
sacraments in medieval life.
Additionally, regarding architecture and its revealing the
character of a culture, students are
referred to visit St. Patrick’s
Cathedral, the commercial
buildings in Manhattan, Grand
Central Station, etc., as examples
of how Americans from past
centuries revealed their priorities
and values in architectural style
and function.
The "Antioch Chalice", first
half of the 6th century
Byzantine; Made in Antioch
or Kaper Koraon (?)
The Cloisters Collection, 1950 (50.4)
Typical 1900s tenement
—Professor Martin Conkling
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CONCORDIA NEW YORKER | 2007
7

The United Nations
and Concordia
This February witnessed the unusual event of a
Bronxville college student giving a speech at the United
Nations. Concordia student Bol Riiny addressed a
conference for educators entitled “Responding to
Children and Youth in Crisis,” an event co-sponsored
by the United Nations Department of Public
Information and the Committee on Teaching about the
United Nations.
On that day, expert panelists presented on a range of
issues: Health & Nutrition, Literacy, the Rights of the
Child and Security—a panel which included Riiny. Bol
told of his personal odyssey as one of the “Lost Boys of
the Sudan”. He reviewed how his education had begun
in Wāw, southern Sudan, but was cut short in 1990 when
Arab government troops from Khartoum attacked his
community, killing people and livestock, razing buildings,
and blowing up his school. Families were scattered and
Bol was forced to flee with other boys and hide in the
bush. After persistent attacks by government troops, the
boys decided to seek sanctuary in Ethiopia. To avoid
government attack, the boys walked at night for two
months until they crossed into Ethiopia. En route, many
died of starvation or were taken by lions. Sickly boys
were at times carried off by hyenas.
Bol’s education continued briefly in an Ethiopian
refugee camp. However, in 1991 the refugees were caught
in the middle of a civil war between Eritrean separatists
and central Ethiopian troops. The Ethiopian government
then expelled the refugees back to Sudan. Bol recalls how
his friends had to choose between trying to swim flooded
rivers or be shot by the troops. Many of the younger boys
drowned. Bol hid in the Sudan border area and was
sustained by periodic food air drops by the Red Cross and
UN. Unfortunately, the drop zones would highlight the
8 CONCORDIA NEW YORKER | 2007
refugee locations—which were promptly attacked by
Sudanese ground troops and bombed by airplanes and
helicopters.
When the Khartoum government’s ground troops came
too close, the only safe place to flee was Kenya. So Bol
and his fellow refugees walked hundreds miles south to a
UN camp in Kenya. Bol noted that one-third of the Lost
Boys were killed before finding this sanctuary. His
Bol recalls how his friends had to
choose between trying to swim flooded
rivers or be shot by the troops.
education continued in Kenya, though there was never
enough food and it was often impossible to study or even
care when one was permanently hungry. Bol noted there
was no security in the camp, and at night local Kenyans
would attack and often kill the refugees in the hope of
taking what little food they had.
After eight years, Bol and other Sudanese boys were
sponsored by Lutheran World Relief and flown to Boston
where Lutheran Social Services placed them in welcoming
host families and helped them acclimate to a strange and
wonderful new society. Bol completed secondary school
in Boston and then matriculated at Concordia College-

Math Team Again Ranks with the Best
The results from the 2007 International Contest in
Mathematical Modeling again place Concordia College
alongside the world’s most renowned institutions.
949 teams of three persons each entered. The U.S.,
Australia, China, South Africa, Finland, Canada, and
Indonesia were among the nations represented.
Our team of Haram Kim , Christopher Kollmann, and
Ching Man (Joyce ) Lo scored at the Successful Participant
Level—the same performance as McGill, Luther College,
California Polytechnic Institute, and Peking University.
The team of Steven Hom, Sondra Noer, and Joshua Rys
scored at the Honorable Mention Level—the same status as
Princeton, Wesleyan, Shanghai University, and Beijing
University.
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New York. A business student, Bol looks to the day when
Sudan is again at peace and he can return and help his
people. If there is no peace, his plan is to have an
administrative position with an agency like the United
Nations or a non-governmental organization so he can
find a way to return and help Sudan.
The 600 conference attendees were riveted by Bol’s firstperson
account of his journey and responded with a
standing ovation. His talk was especially strong, given the
day’s many lofty speeches about UN policies and
agreements, and highlighted the inability of the
international community to act to protect its most
vulnerable members. Prior to Bol’s talk, an international
lawyer talked about the well-intentioned UN Convention on
the Rights of the Child (CRC)—which includes a child’s right
to education and personal security—and to which nearly
all countries are signatories. It was not lost on the
attendees that the government in Sudan, a signatory to the
CRC, is the same government that blew up Bol’s school.
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Math Whizzes! Front row: Christopher Kollmann, Steven Hom, Joshua Rys;
Back row: Professor John Loase, Sondra Noer, Joyce Lo, and Haram Kim.
Concordia Experience continued from page 5
From Cambridge to Camp—Putting the
Bookwork into Action
Last semester, Robert Paul’s
Concordia Experience took him across
“The Pond” for a semester of cultural
immersion and study in Cambridge,
England, as part of Concordia–New
York’s exchange program with
Westfield House, the seminary of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church of
England with special Cambridge
University status.
Robert, a student in the Pre-
Seminary program, said, “The
academic opportunity was fantastic
since I was able to attend Cambridge
University lectures with the Divinity
Faculty, and balance that with other
seminarians in Westfield House’s
smaller classes.”
Robert Paul,
’08,Sayville, NY
Liberal Studies – Biblical
Languages/ Religion/
History, Pre-Seminary
Returning to the States, Robert
continued his experiential learning as
Chaplain at Baiting Hollow Boy Scout Camp, leading grace
at meals, consoling homesick campers, conducting interfaith
prayer services, and assisting in the Lutheran worship
service. Robert offered, “Chaplaincy is an excellent first step
with a huge amount of experience in terms of preparation
towards the ministry. I’ve gained great insight into
interactions and ministry to people from all backgrounds.”
Upon graduation, he plans to pursue the Masters of
Divinity at Concordia Theological Seminary–Fort Wayne.
For more on the details of The Concordia Experience
visit www.concordia-ny.edu.
CONCORDIA NEW YORKER | 2007
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9

Experiential & Service Learning
Experiencing
Empathy by
Lending a Hand
Back: Elsbeth Harkey, Jean Boehler, Rev. Robert
Boehler. Front: Ellie Rufleth ’08 and Mary Darbee ’09.
One can read about empathy, or study ethics and the
“right thing to do”, but until one’s faced with the reality
of being with someone in their sorrow, one can never
truly understand compassion.
For Concordia students Eleanor Rufleth, Elsbeth
Harkey, and Mary Darbee, Director of Spiritual Life &
Service Learning Rev. Robert Boehler, and Jean Boehler,
such compassion came with long days, hot weather, dirty
workspaces, evening prayer, and commitment to one
another.
This spring they traveled to Hurricane Katrinadevastated
New Orleans for five days of service learning
and volunteering. They went to restore life for others and
returned changed themselves.
Concordia’s group worked alongside other Lutherans
and individuals from all walks of life who shared the
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Elsbeth Harkey, ’09
Lakeville, MA
Education
It’s not all pickin’ daisies!
common goal of offering hope
to our neighbors in “The
Crescent City”. Working
through Camp Restore—a joint
effort of the LCMS, Orphan
Grain Train, and Laborers for
Christ—the days started early,
arriving at the worksite by 7:30,
laboring with zeal, installing
dry wall and painting until they
returned to “camp” at 4:30.
Each evening after dinner,
Concordia’s group gathered for
prayer and Bible study. Lights out was always welcome as
they exhausted themselves both physically and
emotionally.
Ellie Rufleth, ’08
Clinton, CT
Social Work, Family Life Ministry
Mary Darbee, ’09
Patchogue, NY
Social Work, Family Life Ministry
Ellie Rufleth’s feelings on this chapter of her life were
shared by many, “I went down there to impact the lives of
others and share my gifts, but by being immersed in the
The perspectives it provided me
have changed my life.
reality of their world today and hearing their stories, I
was on the receiving end of the gifts...the perspectives it
provided me have changed my life.”
Said Mary Darbee: “It might not seem as if a huge
difference is being made by helping restore and rebuild

Concordia Helps Bronxville
High Stem the Tide
Though “April showers may
bring May flowers”, this year
they were torrential and
brought severe flooding to
Bronxville schools, which had
to be closed for two weeks.
The high school was in the midst
of classes preparing students for
Advanced Placement exams—which
can’t be rescheduled—and couldn’t use
their facilities.
Concordia was more than glad to
come to their rescue by offering the use
of its classrooms.
Principal Terence J. Barton stated: “It certainly was
fortunate for Bronxville High School to have the
assistance of Concordia College during the days
immediately following our flooding disaster of April 15.
Through the generosity of Concordia, we were able to
have our AP Students continue to meet during the two
weeks when our high school was closed. Concordia’s
one house when thousands of others are in a state of utter
destruction as well, but nothing compares to the mental,
spiritual, and emotional heart prints…the process of
rebuilding hope that was swept away with the surging
waters finally begins to swim back…God showing how
amazing it feels to be restored and worked through, both
physically and spiritually.”
This experience is one of the programs organized
through Concordia’s Spiritual Life component. Rev.
Boehler has the daily privilege of walking with students
through their journey of faith while on campus. Servant
events such as this provide an even greater opportunity to
share limitless possibilities for faith in action. He reflects,
“Our students have a greater sense of the big picture. On
this particular trip, they didn’t see this as a one-time
experience of lending a hand, but rather they were filled
with thoughts about how their commitment to their
neighbor really makes a difference in the big picture.”
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Bronxville H.S. students prepare for Advanced Placement Exams in
Concordia’s Pietruski Auditorium.
classrooms allowed our students to continue to prepare
for the May AP Exams and we were even allowed to have
our larger groups take their tests on the Concordia
Campus! Thank you to everyone at Concordia College.
Your help is greatly appreciated!”
Director of Spiritual Life & Service Learning Rev. Robert Boehler repairs
a washed-out floor.
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CONCORDIA NEW YORKER | 2007
11

Concordia In China
Professor Christopher J. Nagel led
a student tour of China to see firsthand
its rapid changes and learn
more about its people’s culture,
history, and traditions.
This summer, an intrepid Clipper Crew headed to the
great country of 1.4 billion people to build an understanding
of the broad sweep of its 3,000-year-old culture.
Students spent time in Xi’an (pronounced ‘SHE-un’),
the ancient northern capital and wealthy trading terminus
of the fabled Silk Road—a caravan trek of 7,000 miles to
Samarkand, Damascus, and Antioch. The Clipper Crew
walked the 600-year-old city wall, visited the leaning Wild
Goose Pagoda, and saw thousands of 2,000-year-old lifesize
terra cotta soldiers. Xi’an benefited from civilization’s
oldest and longest trade route until the 15th century—
when China’s Ming Dynasty looked inward, closed itself
off from the world, unrigged its extensive merchant fleet,
and abandoned all trade. The weight of the world then
shifted, and Spain and Portugal built their empires. The
world developed while China lay dormant.
In Beijing, students saw how this isolationist theme was
continued by the infamous Dowager Empress in the late
1800s. She spent China’s resources on her Summer Palace
and cared little for the outside world. She did not move
to rebuff the expansionist Western and Japanese powers,
which then created independent zones (known as
Concessions) within China’s great cities and controlled
much of her commerce and trade.
Also in Beijing, the Concordia Crew toured the Temple
of Heaven, Ming Emperor Tombs, and Forbidden City,
home to dynasties for five centuries. After PuYi, the Last
Emperor, was deposed in 1911, China plunged into
further chaos and civil war. Warlords controlled much of
12 CONCORDIA NEW YORKER | 2007
the interior. The Japanese military overran China in the
’30s. In the ’40s, Mao finally secured both Chinese
independence and his ruthless control over China. Like
The world developed while
China lay dormant.
emperors before him, Mao closed its borders and looked
inward. Much of his legacy remains. The crew saw
Mao’s mausoleum, the sterile socialist architecture of the
Great Hall of the People, and walked Tiananmen
Square—the political heart of China where a million can
assemble. The crew was fortunate to visit a typical
“hutong”, an enclosed family compound with an entrance
off a narrow street that opens to a central courtyard faced
by family rooms. This was in one of the few remaining
historic sections of Beijing (generic apartment buildings
are displacing much of the old city). Under Mao, all
private ownership ended. But for party loyalists and
those who had been with Mao on the famous Long
March, special privileges were given. While most lived in
deep poverty under Mao, the patriarch of this hutong had
been a soldier on the Long March and was given the
hutong for his family—thus also able to survive political
purges and the devastating Cultural Revolution of 1966-
1976 (the year of Mao’s death).

Dr. Loase studies Concordia
students for “Sigfluence”
Several years ago, Dr. Teresa Piliouras of
Polytechnic University teamed with Concordia
Professor of Mathematics John F. Loase in
surveying the potential of 542 college students
to positively influence others...in Dr. Loase’s
newly-minted term: sigfluence.
This focus group was the fruit of statistical and data
mining research. It took nearly two years to analyze the
data to unearth “golden nuggets” of discoveries. Their
Students at “The Temple of Heaven”
Beyond the ebb and flow of history, the Crew also got a
sense of China’s natural beauty by traveling south to the
beautiful city of Guilin, sited on the jade-green Li River, a
tributary of the Yangtze. Taking a day cruise down the Li,
the Concordians saw the famous and surreal limestone
mountain cones rising through the mist while water
buffalo rested and fishermen punted along on lashed
bamboo rafts—a classic image in Chinese art, an image
little changed through millennia.
The trip ended in Shanghai, the most modern city in the
world and the driving heart of modern capitalist China.
The Concordia Crew then returned to New York with a lot
to ponder and a recognition that just as the last century
was often called the American Century, the current
century (with China after Mao no longer isolationist, but
open and engaged with the world) will surely become the
Chinese Century.
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overriding conclusion was that
this generation of college
students reported significantly
higher levels of potential for
Sigfluence and perceptions of
Sigfluence (achieved) than
Loase’s previous pooled sample.
Loase’s findings and analysis
are contained in his recently
published seventh book, The
Positive Influence Generation
(Hamilton Books, 2007).
“..But since 9/11, it’s not about ourselves,
but everyone else in the country. Yes, this is a
Positive Influence Generation.”
Interesting student comments on sigfluence: “I feel more
positive energy exists today.” “Generation Y has more
desire for a positive influence, but they don’t participate
fully…a lack of education is holding them back”. “We
want to redirect our energy of the self to help others.
Maybe we could try and change”. “There is lots of ‘good’
in people. In adverse situations, you see the best come
out”. “(I) would like more education on how to help
others.” “I agree the ’90s were greedy. But since 9/11, it’s
not about ourselves, but everyone else in the country. Yes,
this is a Positive Influence Generation.”
Concordia was recognized by the Lutheran Crusader Fund during a special
service at Long Island Lutheran Middle and High Schools. Dr. David Hahn,
the schools’ Executive Director and chair of the Crusader Grant Committee
presents a check to Director of Church Relations Mindy Warnken and
Vice-President for Institutional Advancement Paul Grand Pré.
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CONCORDIA NEW YORKER | 2007
13

Clipper Tennis Continues
Serving Up Winners
Men #1 in the East,
Tarangioli Coach of the Year!
During Spring Break, the Clippers opened against
Rollins, the number 12 team in the country. In a four-hour
battle, the Clippers won the last match for a 5-4 victory.
This was the first top 20 team the Clippers have ever
beaten. Next on the trip was Flagler College, a team that
had always bested Concordia. The team was in full sail
and beat the Saints in what the coaches refer to as the
closest and toughest 9-0 win they have ever played. The
Clippers then disposed of the tough Division III team,
Averette College, 7-2. In the last match of the trip,
Concordia faced the NAIA number-4-ranked Embry
Riddle University. In this match the team suffered its
second loss of the season 2-7.
Returning from Florida, the Clippers dominated their
opponents. At the end of the ECC season, they were in
first place and won the Conference Championship by
beating both Queens College and Mercy College 5-0.
Women’s Tennis
Perfect in Conference
Front: Sebnem Can, Somadi Druker, Celise Sesanker, Lenka
Hladikova Back: Amy Boyd, Ananda Ferrari
14 CONCORDIA NEW YORKER | 2007
Continued on page 22
Front (left to right): Vito Galatioto, Vlad Malkin, John Cassas, Josep
Molet, and Head Coach Neil Tarangioli Back (left to right): Sabyasachi
Bose, Assistant Coach Daniel Rockhill, Henning Ruenz, Kirill Azovtsev,
Nik Boerger, Rodrigo Teixeira, and Alex Grubin
Rookie of the Year!
Sophomore Somadi Druker was 8-1 this season in
singles competition and 9-1 in doubles play. She
was named to the All-Conference 1st Team and
voted East Coast Conference Rookie of the Year.
The Concordia Clippers’ Women’s Tennis Team
blitzed the East Coast Conference with an outstanding 7-
0 record, finishing first in the regular season and earning
the #1 seed in the Conference tournament. The Clippers
lost in the Conference finals 4-5 to Queens College.

Scholarship Established to
Memorialize Rev. Wittrock
The Reverend Theodore Wittrock Memorial
Scholarship Fund at Concordia College-New York, has
been created by his wife Lenore and daughters Hope (’76)
and Christa (’85) to benefit a Concordia student intending
a career in church service, with preference given to a
student from Redeemer Lutheran Church in the Bronx.
This scholarship fund will benefit young people from
places very near and dear to the Wittrock family and will
allow Rev. Wittrock’s legacy to live on. With a cornerstone
pledge by the Wittrock Family to establish the Fund, they
have invited friends and family members to participate.
Pastor Wittrock arrived in New York City in 1948, to be
the Executive Director of the American Lutheran Publicity
Bureau. He had been raised in the midwest, graduated
from Concordia Seminary in Saint Louis in 1946, and
spent 18 months in the California mission fields before
arriving in the Big Apple. In 1969, he accepted the call to
be pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in the Bronx and
served there vigorously until January 16, 2000, his 80th
birthday. During his time in New York, he was a frequent
Concordia Alumni:
Have you checked
this out?
The Concordia Alumni Association’s new online community launched in February
and if you haven’t visited yet, you don’t know what you are missing! Members enjoy
a secure place to network with other alumni, update their contact information,
view and share photos with classmates, read class letters and blogs, share reunion
information, submit and read class news and photos, and keep up to date on
College and alumni news.
Join the Concordia Alumni Online Community Today
by visiting http://alumni.concordia-ny.edu
1. You will access a Registration Form where you will create your own username
and password for the site…something you will easily remember!
2. Review your contact information.
visitor to Concordia’s campus,
attending countless concerts,
meetings, and events. He
served three terms on
Concordia’s Board of Regents
and, in 1991, along with his
wife, was awarded
Concordia’s Servant of Christ
award. He was called home to
the Kingdom on July 4, 2002.
If you’d like to contribute to
The Wittrock Scholarship Fund
or establish a scholarship or
endowment in the name of a
loved one, please contact
Nathaniel Broyles at
(914) 337-9300, x2151.
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Once registered, you have access to all the features of the site!
We are committed to protecting your contact information. The site is
password-protected and only Concordia alumni have access to the private
pages in the searchable online Alumni Directory. To get connected to all the
site’s new features, take a few moments and register now!
The Office of Alumni Relations is also seeking online administrators to help
populate class and club pages on the site.
Please email alumni@concordia-ny.edu or call 1.800.YES. ALUM.
CONCORDIA NEW YORKER | 2007
15

CONCORDIA NEW YORKER
1956
Bill Oehlkers recently published an article in Reading Today, the professional
magazine of the International Reading Association, which highlighted
an inquiry learning unit he led for students at San Miguel School in
Providence, Rhode Island. His specialty? Pizza!
1957
Bill Hodur (P’57) and wife Betty will travel in India, Mongolia, and
China this year with Beautiful Beatitudes of Jesus Ministries, Inc. and ask
for your continued prayer support.
1959
In retirement, Jane Markert Moody is a volunteer docent for
Boston By Foot. If you are visiting the Boston area and would like a great
walking tour, check out www.bostonbyfoot.com
1971
Congratulations to Diana (Hartman) Schmiesing on being chosen
for the 2006 All-USA Teacher Team by USA TODAY . Diana teaches at
Providence Elementary School, Fairfax, VA.
1972
Proud grandparents Lee and Sue (Dow ’75) Marks announce the
arrival of Lynda Marks Franca, born to Heather (Marks ’04) and
Joao Franca (’02) on January 10, 2007.
1983
Karen (Brese) Foote, kindergarten teacher at St. John Lutheran
School, North Tonawanda, NY, was selected the 2007 Wal-Mart/Sam’s
Club Teacher of the Year from 50 area school candidates. Congratulations!
Sydney Barnes, `57
Rev Frank J Bauer, P`36, `38
Rev Paul G Behling, P`51, `53
Timothy Coakley, `03
Richard C Dublis, P`56
Rev Daniel G Fiehler P`35, `37
Gail Fountain `70
Rev Arthur Geidel `48
Ronald A Grimaldi `62
Richard E Hetzel P`53
Hans P Hover P`53
Rev Paul L Kettner P`52, `54
Rev John D Kovac `43
Rev Earl Krupp P`37, `39
16 CONCORDIA NEW YORKER | 2007
AlumNotes
In Memoriam
Stewart A Lambie `50
Rev Kurt E Marquart `54
James Mason `75
Rev Elwood E Mather Jr P`49
Michelle Deppen Matruder `87
John L McFarland `59
John F Meyer Jr P`27
Rev Frederick A Mildenburger `59
Paul F Mueller `43
Rev Albert Neibacher `59
Jane Nolan `57
Rev Milan Ontko P`40, `42
Paul A Priebe P`39
Frederick L Reiss `61
1985
One Thursday evening in April, several Bronxville alum were sighted in
Schlafly’s Taproom in downtown St. Louis. Visiting from MD was Kay
(Becker) Maiwald, along with her husband, Eric, and their two children.
Joining in from southern IL were Rev. Gregory and Mary
(Drosendahl) Schultz and their three children, and Rev.
William Weedon (’82) and his son. Lutheran beverages were
shared, good theological discussion ensued, and an enjoyable time was had
by all!
Principal of St. John’s Lutheran School in Dover, DE, Dina Vendetti
was voted by Dover Post readers the 2006 Great Person of the Year.
1987
Allan “Donny” Seaman serves as the Program Director of the Glen
Cove Boys & Girls Club. Founded in 1920, it is one of the oldest non-profit
organizations on Long Island.
1988
Patti (Young) and husband Dan Seeber with joy announce the birth of
Sage McKenzie Young Seeber September 10, 2006. She joins big sister,
Madysyn.
1990
Jenna (Olbermann) and Rev. Brian Smith (’91) announce
the adoption of their daughter Eve Solana born on April 12, 2006. Eve joins
big brother Jacob. Brian is the Pastor of St. Mark Lutheran Church in the
Rochester, NY area. Jenna is currently a stay-at-home mom.
1994
On December 2, 2006, Sean D. Burke was ordained into the priesthood
at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, CA.
Philip Reiter P`40, `42
Rev Charles D Ruhnke `56
Fred G Rupp P`37
Paul C Schleede Jr P`48
Gustav A Schwenk P`29
Joan Seminara `99
Rev Robert H Smith `52
Patricia Wachholz `67
Rev John F Wahl P`34
Benjamin White `61
Dale M Williams `56
Michael J Yarish `71