HHPAC renamed in honor of Walz

Concordia University, Nebraska’s Health, Human Performance and Athletic Center was renamed in honor of President Emeritus Orville C. Walz at a ceremony Thursday, May 5. The facility now will be known as the Walz Human Performance Complex. The building's arena, offices and classrooms were completed in 2009 and the attached field house was completed in 2010. Further plans for expansion are ongoing.

 “I am deeply humbled by my beloved alma mater naming this building the Walz Human Performance Complex,” said Walz. “May this building be used to provide a quality Lutheran Christian liberal arts education for all students, equipping them for lives of servant leadership and service in the church and world.” 

Waltz was a student at Concordia from 1957-1961.  He returned to Concordia in 1969, serving as a professor in the education department, as the institution’s registrar and later as director of the graduate program. Walz was elected president of Concordia College in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, in 1981, staying there until August 1990, when he again returned to Seward to take up the mantle as its ninth president.

Current Concordia president Rev. Dr. Brian Friedrich spoke of Walz’s impact on Concordia and Walz's continuous role as teacher.

“Orv often said that one of the comments he most appreciated after preaching a sermon was when a member of the congregation said to him, ‘You sounded like a teacher!’  During his tenure at Concordia thousands of students, co-workers, colleagues, alumni and friends learned from him!  He was and still is a master teacher.  For all of the times you were our teacher we honor and celebrate you today.”