Concordia University, Nebraska

Concordia University, Nebraska recently honored 27 graduating seniors who maintained high levels of academic excellence during their time at the university at the 2026 Commencement Honors Dinner on May 8. Each year, academic departments may confer two or more awards, depending on the department's size and the number of students in a particular program. Each department may determine the basis for students' attainment of these awards; however, they must consider the student's grade point average, service to the department and service to the university.

On Friday, May 8, Concordia University, Nebraska recognized the university's professional church work graduates at a Sending Service. The worship service is an opportunity to celebrate the university's graduating church work students before they either take a call, begin an internship, or further their education. The service was started eight years ago by Concordia Director of Dual Credit, Dr. Beth Pester. When Concordia was known as Concordia Teacher's College, Lutheran teacher graduates experienced something similar to Lutheran seminaries' Call Day at the time of their graduation. Pester sought to celebrate Concordia professional church work graduates and created the Sending Service with the help of Rev. Dr. John Mehl, Executive Director of Mission of Christ Network. The event is now a beloved university tradition. "All of Concordia's graduates have been equipped to serve God through their vocations, the Sending Service is designed to celebrate the preparations that professional church work graduates have received to go out and serve the world specifically through church work careers," said Pester. The Sending Service recognizes graduates from all five professional church work fields: pre-seminary, pre-deaconess, director of Christian education, director of parish music and Lutheran teachers, as well as Classical Lutheran Educator and Christian teacher graduates. At the service, each graduate walks across the stage during the worship service and is recognized. The future education plans, internship or church work call is announced at that time. The service is a meaningful opportunity to celebrate the graduates who go out into the world to serve as the hands and feet of Jesus.

On May 9, nearly 500 Concordia University, Nebraska undergraduate and graduate students were awarded degrees. The class of 2026 was honored during a commencement ceremony held in the Walz Human Performance Complex.

Senior Tayley Streeks of Bayard, Nebraska, is studying biology at Concordia University, Nebraska and is part of the university's 3 + 1 Dual Degree nursing program with Creighton University. The program allows students to earn both an accelerated bachelor of science in nursing from Creighton and a bachelor of arts degree in biology from Concordia in just four years.

On April 11, Concordia University, Nebraska hosted its second annual Paul Scholars Banquet in celebration and appreciation of the Paul Scholars. The event was held in the Cattle Conference Room in Janzow Campus Center and featured keynote speaker Greg Butcher.

The Concordia Catalyst Competition (C3) is a business plan competition hosted by the Concordia University, Nebraska Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. It is open to high school students, community members and all current Concordia University, Nebraska students and alumni.

After an 0-3 start that placed their season on the brink, the Concordia University, Nebraska esports Overwatch team completed a dramatic turnaround, capturing the Central Region Championship with a series of decisive postseason victories.

In early April, a group of computer science students from Concordia University, Nebraska traveled to Drury University in Springfield, Missouri, to participate in the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges Central Plains Conference (CCSC-CP).

Throughout the 2025-2026 academic year, the Concordia University, Nebraska computer science community participated in a variety of competitions and provided several field trip opportunities for students. Most recently, Concordia placed first in a programming competition at the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges Central Plains Conference (CCSC-CP) in Springfield, Missouri.

Twenty-two Concordia University, Nebraska art students had artwork on display at the 2026 CINCF Student Art Exhibition during the month of April. The exhibition was held in Hillmer Art Gallery, located on the campus of the College of Saint Mary in Omaha, Nebraska. The goal of the exhibition is to showcase student artwork from across the state.

The increasing collaboration efforts within the Concordia University, Nebraska music department showcase its continued growth. One example of this is the upcoming collaboration between the University Band and the Percussion Ensemble.

Concordia University, Nebraska's Department of Natural Sciences held its annual banquet on April 15, recognizing graduating seniors and select students from the department for their outstanding service and scholarship.

Three Concordia University, Nebraska seniors were put to the test on Wednesday, March 18 by the Lincoln Police Department (LPD) at the Walz Human Performance Complex.Two other seniors tested at an earlier time. LPD officers came to perform the physical fitness test for students interested in joining the department.

Held once each semester, Concordia Nebraska's Honor Recital is a chance for the university's Department of Music to celebrate outstanding students and the work that they put into the study of music. This year's spring honor recital will be held at St. John Lutheran Church in Seward, Nebraska, on Friday, April 24 at 7 p.m.

Collaboration is one of the most exciting parts of musicianship. Concordia University, Nebraska offers many collaboration opportunities for musicians throughout the year, including a chamber recital for student-led ensembles and several joint concerts between university ensembles. On April 21, the University Mixed Chorus will collaborate in a combined concert with the Concordia Handbell Choir and the Concordia Ringers.

Much of developing the young musician is inspiring the confidence for them to create art without the constant supervision of a professional. Concordia University, Nebraska's music department does this by offering many student-led ensemble and performance opportunities. One example of this is the university's composers recital. This recitals occurs once per semester. The composers recital is a non-auditioned recital but is typically reserved for students who are enrolled in composition lessons. Those students are required to participate. The composers recital usually features a wide range of styles and instrumentations. This year's event will include works for choir, strings, piano and brass.

Concordia University, Nebraska's instrumental ensembles offer community members multiple opportunities to hear a variety of instrumental repertoire. Instrumental music allows the audience to fit their own experiences, narratives and emotions into the music, free of the constraints of lyrical specificity. The Concordia University, Nebraska University Orchestra will present its spring concert on Saturday, April 18, and the University Wind Symphony will perform its spring concert the following day on Sunday, April 19. The orchestra concert will be at 2 p.m. at St. John Lutheran Church in Seward. The program features two main works Joseph Haydn's "Symphony no. 49" and Aaron Copland's "Appalachian Spring Suite." Each of these pieces are staples of symphonic repertoire.

Providing opportunities to experience different cultures as well as a variety of academic disciplines is important to forming a well-rounded student. Concordia University, Nebraska students were recently provided an opportunity to travel to London for a week-long study abroad experience.

Concordia University, Nebraska Speech and Debate team broke onto the podium at the 2026 Kansas-Nebraska Intercollegiate Forensics Association (KNIFA) State Tournament. The team broke 15 entries across 8 events. Concordia took 19 students with 43 entries across all events, which is a new record for team participation. The event took place in Manhattan, Kansas, on February 14.

Concordia University, Nebraska's theatre department will present a wide range of performances during the spring semester, including a full-length feature production, a one-act play festival, a variety of improv shows and more.

On Saturday, March 28, Concordia University, Nebraska hosted the annual Northern Plains Collegiate Media Association (NPCMA) conference. This is the fourth time in nine years that Concordia Nebraska has hosted the event. This year, the conference featured a variety of panel discussions, a keynote speaker and an awards ceremony.

More than 300 students attended Concordia University, Nebraska's recent church work student luncheon on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. The event included networking opportunities, a taco and nacho lunch buffet and remarks by Mick Onnen of Lutheran Hour Ministries of Nebraska.

Concordia University, Nebraska senior Emma Kirby has made a variety of professional and personal connections in her time at the university. These connections have strengthened her professional and personal development.

David Marin of Seward, Nebraska 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.

Concordia University, Nebraska senior Logan DeCoste came to Concordia because he was drawn to the football program. Four years later, he has found a variety of professional connections and opportunities within the criminal justice program and made personal connections that have deepened his faith.

Concordia University, Nebraska's University A Cappella Choir will wrap up their spring 2026 tour with two home concerts on Sunday, March 22.

Concordia University, Nebraska's premier instrumental ensemble, the University Wind Symphony, will tour through Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Missouri on their upcoming 2026 tour April 8-12.

Junior Morgan Rohde of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is studying elementary education with music concentration at Concordia University, Nebraska. She is also pursuing her Lutheran Teacher Diploma. She has been a member of the University A Cappella Choir for three years.

Founded in 1938, the Concordia University, Nebraska A Cappella Choir performs both sacred and secular choral music throughout the United States and internationally. The choir's members are selected by audition at the start of each fall semester. One of America's oldest touring Lutheran college choirs, the University A Cappella Choir has performed concerts and joined congregations in worship throughout the United States (including Hawaii) and internationally in Greece, Italy, France, Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, India, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Latvia, Austria, Spain, Mexico, South Africa and Australia.

Senior studio art major Ava Bartels is preparing to wrap up her studies at Concordia University, Nebraska and will be hosting her senior art show on March 29. The exhibition will be conducted in Concordia's Marxhausen Gallery from 1 - 4 p.m., and Bartels will give a talk explaining the artwork at 2 p.m. Refreshments will be offered.