An accomplished artist, freshman Sophia Orr dreams of career as an art director

Concordia Nebraska freshman Sophia Orr of Las Vegas, Nevada, is majoring in graphic design and minoring in marketing. She also works as an athletic training assistant on campus. She said she chose to attend Concordia Nebraska because she wanted the community feel of a smaller Christian school instead of a larger university. She said Concordia Nebraska also gives her opportunities to develop her faith in Jesus Christ. 

“Concordia gives me opportunities to worship God with my peers and professors, and it is all on campus which makes it super easy to go to,” she said.  

Although she spends a lot of time in Brommer Art Center due to her focus of study, she said she has enjoyed many music-focused activities on campus during her first semester as a student. 

“Concordia has an amazing choir program and very talented students,” she said. “I have attended several recitals and have heard the various choir groups perform in church and chapel and in the recent hymn festival, and it sounded so professional!” 

The courses here are pushing me to learn more and know more about my career and at the same time are incorporating God and how it is important that God has a plan for me and how I can see God in everything I do, even in my future career.

Orr attended Faith Lutheran High School in Las Vegas, one of the largest Lutheran high schools in the nation. Many of her teachers attended Concordia Nebraska. 

“Both of my parents went to Concordia Wisconsin, and my older brother goes to Concordia Irvine so I am very familiar with the Concordia family!” she said. “My favorite thing about Concordia so far is the people. Everyone here is so nice and open to conversation, and I have not had a single issue with a peer or professor. I love how intimate the campus life is and how easy it is to be social and feel involved.” 

She said Concordia Nebraska’s professors are very engaged with her and other students and are not just focused on grades but also care that students are learning and truly excelling in classes. 

“The courses here are pushing me to learn more and know more about my career and at the same time are incorporating God and how it is important that God has a plan for me and how I can see God in everything I do, even in my future career,” she said. “The theology classes are educating me more about the Bible and why the Bible is true. I have so many opportunities to go worship God and learn more about Him through various Bible studies, praise, chapel, or just going to St. John’s on Sundays across the street with my friends.” 

One of Orr’s oil paintings received national recognition in the National Art Honor Society 2024 Juried Exhibition, an honor that only two percent of applications receive. That honor led Orr to be featured on the “What’s Cool at School” segment on KLAS-TV, Las Vegas’ CBS affiliate. The award-winning piece, called “Introspection”, is about the fear of the dark and fear of the unknown. Orr was also invited to display her art at a Downtown Summerlin farmer’s market following the TV news story’s airing. 

Following graduation, Orr dreams of serving as an art director on a marketing team. She is especially interested in logo work and designing ads for organizations. Her older brother is a junior at Concordia Irvine studying civil engineering and computer science. Her younger brother is a senior in high school and is working toward earning his pilot's license. Her parents both work at Faith Lutheran High School in Las Vegas.  

When she’s not in class, Orr loves backpacking, hiking, camping and rock climbing. 

The graphic design program at Concordia University, Nebraska equips students with an understanding of visual design principles and technical skills based on a foundation of graphic design theory in order to prepare students to articulate their own vision and voice through graphic design.