Concordia University, Nebraska honors alumni and friends in 2025

Concordia University, Nebraska recognized five individuals with awards and honorary degrees at its commencement honors dinner on May 9. The degrees and awards celebrate the contributions and service of these individuals to the Concordia University community, the church and the world.  

Jan Doellinger ’73 was awarded the Master Educator Award, which is presented to teachers, Directors of Christian Education, school administrators or deaconesses who have distinguished themselves through prolonged superior service in Lutheran educational ministry. Doellinger earned a bachelor of science in education and a Lutheran Teacher Diploma from then-named Concordia Teachers College in Seward. She also has a master of arts in administration from then-named Concordia College in River Forest, Illinois.  

She currently serves as interim principal of Trinity Lutheran School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and as The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod Iowa District East (IDE) assistant to the president. In the district role, she represents the president at all schools and preschools, serves as a resource to all schools and early childhood centers in the district, provides call lists and offers resources and support to new school starts. She also partners with others to plan and present yearly teacher’s conferences, early childhood conferences, principal’s conferences and board trainings.  

She has given presentations and sectionals connected with Lutheran Education Association (LEA) Convocation and district teacher’s conferences. She served as project manager for the LEA Lutheran Elementary Teachers Department’s Beginning Teacher’s Academy, has been published in the Lutheran Education Journal and has contributed a monthly article for educators in IDE’s professional packet since 2016. She serves on the Iowa Lutheran Student Tuition Organization board of directors and the Iowa Alliance for Choice in Education board of directors. She has held various positions with LEA including president. Active in her church, Doellinger has volunteered as an usher, handbell choir director, children and adult choir director and educational consultant. In addition to her current role with Iowa District East, she has served on the IDE Board of Directors, the IDE Schools Committee and the IDE Parish Education Committee. She is also ex officio of the Christ Lutheran High School board of directors.  

Martin (Marty) Kohlwey CO ’83 GR ’98 was awarded the Concordia University, Nebraska Crest of Christ Award, which honors individuals who humbly share and demonstrate the love and grace of Jesus Christ in their lives while serving public ministries and the work of the church at large. He has a master of education degree in family life education and ministry and a bachelor of science degree in theology and physical education from Concordia University, Nebraska.  

Since 2016, Kohlwey has served as director of campus ministry, theology department head and worldviews/theology teacher at Lutheran High School in Parker, Colorado. He also oversees chapel, chapel groups, parent ministry, youth worship, missions and service. He is a presenter at conferences for youth and teachers speaking on topics like “Why Are You a Christian?”, “Parenting Adolescents” and “Thriving Parent Ministry.”  

He served at Concordia Nebraska in a variety of roles from 1998-2016 including coordinator and instructor of the university’s first year experience class, instructor for methods of secondary religion and lifespan development, director of student activities and director of student life. Kohlwey also served as assistant men’s and assistant women’s basketball coach and head men’s basketball coach. He was the faculty advisor of the Multicultural Awareness Club and led Concordia’s all-campus devotions. He also taught a variety of other courses at the college level and has organized and led basketball mission trips to Haiti, Panama and Mexico. He also facilitated, directed and assisted basketball camps at the high school and college level for more than 25 years. Prior to his service at the university, he served as religion department head, teacher, spiritual life director and head boys’ basketball coach at Lutheran High School in Rockford, Illinois.  

Dr. Cynthia Lumley was conferred the Concordia University, Nebraska Doctor of Laws degree, which is presented to individuals who have distinguished themselves through prolonged superior service in their field of endeavor. She studied first year science at the University of Calgary and earned a bachelor of science degree in medical biochemistry from the University of Surrey. In addition, she has a doctorate in radiation biology from the University of London and studied at Westfield House of Theological Study in Cambridge. She received a master of arts and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod Deaconess Certification from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne. She is a commissioned lay counselor specializing in marriage, divorce and remarriage. She also earned a master of arts in Christianity and the arts from King’s College, University of London and is working toward a doctorate in education from the University of Nottingham.  

Since 2013, Lumley has served as principal of Westfield House of Theological Studies. This role includes legal duties and administrative oversight, financial management, communications and development and undergraduate teaching. She was previously associate director of deaconess studies at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne. She was also a researcher, board director and company secretary for the Centre for Medicines Research International Ltd., which was established by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) with the goal of becoming a leading centre of excellence for addressing strategic issues in the discovery, development and safe use of medicines for the benefit of society.  

During her career in the pharmaceutical industry, Lumley was published extensively in scientific literature, edited numerous books and was frequently invited to present at national and international meetings. She also lectured on clinical pharmacology, pharmaceutical medicine and toxicology and presented at numerous national and international workshops and continuing education courses. She taught intensive courses to deaconess students in India, Ghana, Nicaragua, Ethiopia and Sumatra.  

Lumley has contributed to various Concordia Publishing House texts and been featured in For the Life of the World, The British Lutheran, Cornerstone and other publications. She served various associations and societies that focus on toxicology, pharmaceuticals, medical research and theology. In 2000, she received the U.S. Drug Information Association Outstanding Service Award, and in 2004, she received an honorary fellowship to the British Toxicology Society, having served as the first female chairman. Lumley currently serves as a host for a refugee family from Ukraine and is a founding member of the Benson Area Residents Association, the local residents’ association for the area surrounding Westfield House.  

Dr. Gene Edward Veith, Jr. was conferred the Concordia University, Nebraska Doctor of Letters degree, which is given to people who have distinguished themselves through creative contributions to their field. A writer and retired literature professor, he is the author of 29 books, including The Spirituality of the Cross: The Way of the First Evangelicals, God at Work: Your Christian Vocation in All of Life and Embracing Your Lutheran Identity. Now retired, he serves as the director of The Cranach Institute, a research and educational arm of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne and operates the Cranach blog on Christianity, Culture and Vocation. He is a permanent board member of the Consortium for Classical Lutheran Education and a current fellow for the Capital Research Center in Washington, D.C.  

He has a doctorate in English from the University of Kansas, a master of arts degree in English from the University of Kansas and a bachelor of arts degree in letters with distinction from the University of Oklahoma. Veith is provost emeritus at Patrick Henry College, where he served as professor of literature, dean of academic affairs and interim president. He worked previously as culture editor of World Magazine and as professor of English and dean of the school of arts and sciences at Concordia University Wisconsin. He was a visiting professor at Wheaton College, the Estonian Institute of Humanities, Regent College and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Early in his career, he was an instructor of English at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College.  

He served as chairman of the translation committee for The Lutheran Service Book and is a past board member for Concordia Publishing House. He contributed to three foundational books used widely throughout The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod: The Lutheran Service Book, The Lutheran Study Bible and Concordia: A Reader’s Edition of the Book of Concord. Veith has authored more than 100 scholarly articles, reviews and papers, as well as various weekly journalism pieces including articles, reviews and columns. He is also a popular speaker on Christianity, culture and the arts.  

Janice Marion Wendorf was awarded the Concordia University, Nebraska Distinguished Service Award, which is given to individuals who have demonstrated the use of God’s gifts in outstanding public service. She earned a bachelor of arts in secondary physical education and English from then-named Concordia Teachers College in River Forest, Illinois. Now retired, she previously served as a high school teacher and coach at Lutheran High School South in St. Louis, Missouri, and Concordia Lutheran High School in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. She also served as a substitute teacher and coach at Central Noble Schools in Albion, Indiana, and as a conference specialist in The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod Ohio District for Concordia Publishing House.  

Active throughout the church at large, Wendorf was a contributing devotional author for Hope Notes and Hope Notes Volume Two and a keynote speaker, Bible study leader, presenter and retreat leader. She has given numerous presentations and speeches as an ambassador for Lutheran World Relief and for Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML), which is now called Lutheran Women in Mission.  

Wendorf previously served on the Board of Regents for Concordia University Ann Arbor, the Board of Regents for Concordia University Wisconsin, the Synod Task Force on Domestic Violence and Child Abuse and the Synod Board for Mission Services. From 2007 to 2011, she was national president of LWML. She also contributed to the organization as vice president of Christian Life from 2001-2005, and since 1983, she assisted numerous LWML committees on the local, district and national levels. She was also secretary on the board of directors of Lutheran Hour Ministries, on the board of directors of the Lutheran Deaf Mission, as an ambassador for Lutheran World Relief and on the board of directors for Lutheran Bible Translators.