Junior David Marin felt called to Concordia Nebraska

David Marin always had a feeling he would end up at Concordia University, Nebraska. Now in his junior year at the university, Marin is an active member of the Concordia community, serving as a Resident Assistant (RA) and as a member of the Programming Team and participating in intramural sports.  

Marin’s parents, Angela ‘03 and Josias ‘12, met at Concordia, and he lived in Seward as a child before his dad moved the family to Fort Wayne, Indiana so that Josias could attend seminary. Marin graduated high school a year early, allowing him to attend college in the same grade as his beloved older sister Sionie, who is a junior this year. They knew that they were going to attend the same college but were not initially sure where that would be. 

“We were looking at the other Concordias at the time, but I always had a feeling in my heart that we would end up in the town we started in: Seward, Nebraska,” said David.  

One of the biggest pulls to Concordia for David was the faithful identity of the school.  

“Nothing is more important to me than Jesus Christ,” he said. “Before coming here, I saw with my eyes (on a visit) and heard with my ears (from relatives, friends, and my parents) that CUNE makes Jesus the essence of its existence.” 

The presence of a strong Lutheran identity has helped David to develop his faith since arriving on campus. He has found countless ways to strengthen his faith, including chapel, Biblical and theological classes, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Bible studies, his current and previous Resident Coordinators (RC), his professors, and his friends.  

“It’s hard to explain how much I’ve grown in my faith since coming here,” he said. “I have a deeper love for Jesus and for others than I did when I first came to Concordia. My professors have played such a huge role. My friends that I’ve surrounded myself with have such a love for Jesus. Concordia has taught me a lot of the historical background of the Bible, which has helped me to see it through a new lens. I’ve learned so much faith-wise just living day-to-day life on campus.” 

Since coming to Concordia, David has fully integrated himself into Concordia’s community. He has served as an RA for the past two years. He was a RA serving freshman students in Boaz Hall during his sophomore year, and he currently serves as an upperclassmen RA in Timothy Hall. 

Marin is also involved in almost all of Concordia’s intramural sports, leads review sessions as a tutor for a New Testament class, and regularly attends chapel, FCA Bible study, and PRAISE! 

He is also a member of the Concordia Computer Science Programming Team, which he has enjoyed since his freshman year. He also participates in Nebraska Tech-builder Competitions, Concordia Catalyst Competitions (C3), and programming competitions. 

“One thing Concordia has taught me is that no matter what career or jobs I may have in the future, God will use me to serve my neighbor. I’ve learned to keep my mind on the bigger picture and to use my vocation as a tool to show God’s love to people.”

Marin first entered C3 in the spring of 2025 with his friend, Nathaniel Sizer. They combined their expertise to create the app Planify, formerly called Mediary. Planify is an event-sharing platform intended to make planning hangouts with family and friends easier. They won first place in the competition. They also won the competition when they entered in fall of 2025. Their goal is to make Planify and their other ideas into tangible products. 

“God has blessed our efforts, and it has truly been a blessing. Our goal is to bring Planify and our other ideas into the real world for people to use. We hope we can use our God-given success to be a blessing to other people through the fruits of our labor,” he said.  

Marin is working toward a bachelor’s degree in computer science. One of his favorite parts about the computer science department is the teaching staff.  

“The computer science professors at Concordia truly want you to grow, learn, and become the best you can be,” he said. “They offer so much advice on careers, faith, and life itself. They are highly experienced, and while they truly care deeply about their profession, they care far more about you and your life.” 

Marin noted that the teaching staff throughout the university focus on guiding thinking through a Biblical lens. They help students think not only about their career, but also about their God-given call and vocation. He said that their love for God and their vocations helps him to have that same passion for his faith and calling. 

“One thing Concordia has taught me is that no matter what career or jobs I may have in the future, God will use me to serve my neighbor. I’ve learned to keep my mind on the bigger picture and to use my vocation as a tool to show God’s love to people,” Marin said.  

His goal in his vocation after graduation is to share his skills of software development and entrepreneurship in a way that is a blessing to others. He enjoys cultivating relationships with people, so he is looking for a career that will allow him to continue making a personal difference in the lives of those around him. 

Outside of school, Marin loves reading his Bible, talking with God, friends and family, spending time with his family, and a few other hobbies.  

David is extremely close to his family. His parents have raised him with love in the Christian faith. He has an older brother named Dominique, an older sister named Sionie, and a younger brother named Jonathan. His family has moved around a bit as missionaries, and most recently moved to the Dominican Republic during COVID and then to Haiti a few years later. His paternal grandfather has a school in Haiti that Marin’s family has been helping develop. Sionie attends Concordia with Marin. 

“I cannot describe with words how grateful I am to have Sionie with me during my time here at Concordia. She keeps me in check and balances me out. She is more of a blessing than I’ll ever be able to say,” Marin said.  

Marin loves staying active. Outside of school activities he plays ping pong and pickleball with friends. He has also been learning piano. He enjoys reading, mainly the Bible. He spends most of his time talking and spending time with friends.  

“I cannot describe how much of a blessing it has been to be surrounded by so many people who love Jesus,” he said. “The friendships I’ve made are literally eternal. I have grown to have a deep love for people, and Concordia has helped shape me in that way.” 

Concordia University, Nebraska’s computer science program is designed to help you meet current and future challenges in technology- and application-related fields. Here, you can gain a strong theoretical foundation in computer science while bolstering your practical skills with supplemental learning opportunities like internships, extracurriculars and work study experiences.