Golden Reunion Alumni Profile: Debbie Spaulding

July 10-13, 2023, Concordia University, Nebraska celebrates the college classes of 1972 and 1973, and also the high school class of 1968 during a spectacular “Golden Reunion” celebration.  

Deborah Ann (Rosenkotter) Spaulding ’73 grew up in Grand Island, Nebraska, not far from Seward.  As an LCMS Lutheran and local, she had always been familiar with Concordia University, Nebraska. She knew that she wanted to be a teacher and realized the university had a reputation for having an outstanding teacher-training program. She said deciding to attend Concordia, Nebraska was an easy choice. 

Spaulding has a bachelor of science in education with a Lutheran Teacher Diploma from Concordia, Nebraska.  She majored in social sciences (geography) and minored in general sciences. 

“I enjoyed most classes the professors taught at Concordia. Advisors helped me choose a major and work through semester schedules,” she said. “But my favorite thing was meeting new people - both students and professors - while growing in my faith with my Savior, Jesus Christ. The Concordia experience as a whole, from dorm life, classes, chapel and academics to impactful trips and student teaching, helped prepare me for life as well as acquiring jobs after college.” 

She said living in dorms on campus helped her grow close with friends from across the country, especially her junior year in Jesse Hall when she met a number of transfers from other Lutheran colleges.   

“I enjoyed attending daily chapel in Weller Hall, as well as church services at St. John in Seward,” she said.  “I especially grew in my faith by going on numerous Ongoing Ambassadors for Christ trips, where I was able to share my faith with others.” 

After college, Spaulding served as a missionary teacher for The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod through the VYM (Volunteer Youth Ministry) program in Japan. She studied the Japanese language for six months in Tokyo, then taught English conversation to all ages for two years while working with a coffeehouse ministry at the Niigata Lutheran English School.   

She then returned to the United States and taught first and second grades for one year at St. John Lutheran School in Libby, Montana, where she met her husband. While living in Libby and Bozeman, Montana, for the next three years, she worked as a nutritionist aide/counselor for the WIC (Women, Infants and Children) program. She then returned to school for two years with her husband at Valparaiso University, where she served as a residence hall director and received a master of arts in liberal studies/sociology.  

The couple moved to Walla Walla, Washington, and lived there for 12 years. Spaulding taught for 10 years at Walla Walla Community College in the developmental education department. She then moved to Shawnee, Kansas, and taught for 21 years at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park. She taught developmental classes in a lab setting as well as learning strategies in the classroom. She then retired and returned to Grand Island in 2017. 

“I enjoyed working with adult students at the community college level, helping them to advance their basic skills for work or to go on with college courses,” she said. “I have many favorite memories from Concordia, most notably those times where my faith grew, especially with Ambassadors for Christ trips to Montana, Texas and Alberta, Canada. I also enjoyed academic trips of Everglades Ecology to Florida and Southwest Geography to Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas and Oklahoma. I will forever be grateful to my parents who sacrificed and made it possible for me to attend Concordia and have all of these wonderful experiences!” 

Spaulding says she is looking forward to the Golden Reunion event and getting together to share stories with 1973 classmates. Spaulding celebrates 45 years of marriage to her husband, Stephen John Spaulding, this year. The couple has two children.  

Learn more about the Concordia Nebraska Golden Reunion celebration here. 

Are you interested in discovering teacher education offerings available at Concordia Nebraska? Learn more here.