Faculty and staff recognized for service to Concordia and LCMS
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