Faculty and staff recognized for service to Concordia and LCMS

Published by Logan Tuttle 3 years ago on Fri, Feb 5, 2021 4:24 PM

On Monday, Feb. 1, Concordia University, Nebraska recognized milestones of faithful service for faculty and staff, as well as commissioned and ordained ministers of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) at a special anniversary service.

Honorees were recognized during a special on-campus chapel service.

“Concordia’s faculty and staff serve together as partners in ministry, and Concordia is blessed by our outstanding partners in ministry who gracefully serve our students and our campus community on a daily basis,” said Rev. Russ Sommerfeld, interim president. “We thank God for each of them and their talents and we pray that He will continue to bless their efforts to support our students as they are equipped to learn, serve and lead in the church and world.”

Among the especially esteemed faculty was Dr. Ken Sankey, who is celebrating 40 years of service as a commissioned minister of the Gospel in the LCMS. Sankey, a 1980 Concordia graduate, has worked at Concordia since 2016, where he oversees curriculum, instruction and assessment for the University’s M.Ed. Educational Administration program and its Concordia University-Portland Teach-Out Program.

“I am thankful to be part of the LCMS and the staff at Concordia,” Sankey said. “Both the church and the University have been supportive in my ministry. Serving in the church has been both exciting and humbling. I am thankful to God that I have had the opportunity to grow up and work and work in the church my entire career.”

In Sankey’s 40 years of service to the LCMS, he spent 32 of them as a teacher in Lutheran elementary schools, four years on the faculty at Concordia University, Chicago and the remaining years at Concordia Nebraska. He is a member of the Lutheran Education Association and strongly supports the work of educators and administrators in Lutheran schools. Sankey met Lorinda, his wife, at Concordia Nebraska, where she also serves as dean of the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences and is the head of teacher education.

Employees celebrating anniversaries of service to Concordia University, Nebraska includes (in descending years of service, then alphabetically by last name):

Marcile Brehmer, 50 years, IT services

Dr. Andy Langewisch, 35 years, business administration and mathematics

Linda Janousek, 30 years, Chartwells

Dr. Mark Blanke, 25 years, education

Pete Kenow, 25 years, institutional advancement and alumni relations

Dr. Brent Royuk, 25 years, natural and computer science

Jeremy Geidel, 20 years, admissions

Dr. Joe Herl, 20 years, music

Phil Holtzen, 20 years, Aramark

Dianne Miller, 20 years, Chartwells

Dr. Tim Preuss, 20 years, president’s office

Bill Schranz, 20 years, academic student services, student affairs, education

Dr. Connie Callahan, 15 years, natural and computer science

Dr. Jen Janousek, 15 years, health and human performance

Dr. John Jurchen, 15 years, natural and computer science

Dr. Kristy Jurchen, 15 years, natural and computer science

Kathy Rippstein, 15 years, library services

Dr. Thad Warren, 15 years, human and social sciences

Dr. Angie Fedon, 10 years, classroom innovation and online education

Prof. Tim Heidorn, 10 years, business administration and mathematics

Corby Osten, 10 years, athletics

Todd Berner, 5 years, athletics

Prof. Jessica Brashear, 5 years, education

Levi Calhoun, 5 years, athletics

Weston Coomes, 5 years, athletics

Joe Davis, 5 years, speech team

Ron Down, 5 years, campus security

Megan Forbes, 5 years, institutional advancement and alumni relations

Theresa Hain, 5 years, student financial services

Prof. Nicole Jacobs, 5 years, music

Kirby Klappenback, 5 years, legal affairs and general counsel

Dr. Pete Koprince, 5 years, English, communication and theatre arts

Billy Moore, 5 years, library services

Erica Moore, 5 years, Aramark

Rev. Russ Sommerfeld, 5 years, president’s office, theology, philosophy and biblical languages

Alexa Spale, 5 years, theatre arts

Dylan Teut, 5 years, Plum Creek Literacy Festival

Rose Wecker, 5 years, Aramark

Ordained and commissioned ministers celebrating anniversaries of service to the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod includes (in descending years of service, then alphabetically by last name):

Prof. Bob Pflieger*, 65 years

Marv Plamann, 65 years

Dr. Jerry Pfabe*, 60 years

Rev. Dr. Orv Walz*, 60 years

Dr. Eunice Goldgrabe*, 55 years

Courtney Meyer, 55 years

Dr. Don Sylwester*, 50 years

Dr. Russ Moulds*, 45 years

Dr. Mira Weigmann*, 45 years

Dr. Jenny Mueller-Roebke*, 40 years

Dr. Ken Sankey, 40 years

Dr. Janell Uffelman*, 35 years

Rev. Dr. Paul Holtorf, 30 years

Dr. Mark Meehl, 30 years

Dr. Ed Reinke, 30 years

Dr. Thad Warren, 30 years

Mark Anschutz, 25 years

Jeremy Geidel, 25 years

Prof. Amy Hubach, 20 years

Prof. Amy Harms, 15 years

Dr. Shanna Opfer, 15 years

Rev. Dr. David Coe, 10 years

Rebekah Freed, 10 years

*Denotes Emeritus Faculty

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