Senior Success Stories

When it comes to John Blom’s higher educational experience, the third time was a charm. He went to Grinnell College in Iowa to play football and came back the following year. Next stop was Mt. Hood Community College to regain his bearings and figure out what he wanted to do with his life. When he decided he should pursue a degree in education, he’d heard Concordia University was the place to be.

Who knew that once he arrived, his compass would be reset once again; this time in a direction that was based on truly pursuing his dreams rather than doing what he thought he “should.”

You see, Blom had always had a thing for history and foreign policy but he didn’t see many job prospects in those fields. Until he met Prof. JD Wyneken. With Prof. Wyneken’s inspiration, Blom was buoyed by the idea that his interests could be incorporated into a sustainable career.

Since then his path has been clear.

With his BA in History degree from Concordia University in hand, Blom got accepted to three prestigious graduate schools one of which was the University of Washington’s Jackson School of International Affairs. They admit just 30 students each year to their graduate program with an applicant pool in the hundreds. Concordia University Prof. Michael Thomas, a graduate of their program, wrote one of Blom’s reference letters.

But it was Ohio University‘s MA in History program that Blom ultimately decided to go with. Blom was awarded the Contemporary History Institute Fellowship, so both years of his graduate school are paid for, as well as a stipend that covers living expenses. And what made the deal even sweeter is that it happens to be Prof. Wyneken’s alma mater.

Jennifer Stanford said the second she’d stepped on campus at a preview event, she knew she wanted to go to Concordia University. She loved the small, intimate feel and felt instantly embraced by the faculty, fellow-students and administrators she’d met. She’d received her associate’s degree from Clark College and was ready to take the next step and finish her education. Little did she know that she would receive more than an education of the mind at Concordia — she’d receive an education of the heart, as well.

As Stanford recounts her adventures on campus, one that stands out was a midnight initiation ceremony for Sigma Tau Delta (the English Honor Society). They met in the quad with candles in hand and walked to the center of the baseball field where current members read their favorite poems out loud. But one of the experiences she valued the most was Dr. Hill’s Hero class. They read such materials as Homer’s Odyssey and the Arthurian legends and sat in a circle for a discussion. Dr. Hill asked questions that would really engage the students and get them thinking critically. Stanford said the content and questions often generated discussions that continued outside the classroom and really created a close bond between the 12 or so students who participated in the class.

As much as Stanford immersed herself in the classroom activities, it was the conversations and relationships she established with professors and Concordia staff members outside the classroom that have had the greatest impact. Stanford felt she had a community backing her up, people who cared about her and her well-being. She felt this was a place she could comfortably make mistakes, fall down and be picked back up.

Stanford credits Concordia for its wholehearted commitment to assisting its seniors finding jobs, getting into grad schools and preparing them for what happens when they walk out the door with their degree in hand. She said faculty and administrators have so many great relationships within the community and they use those to get their students great internships and real world experience. Plus, they offer a lot of opportunities around the campus to contribute and start putting their learning to practical application. She has friends that graduated last year who are still getting calls from professors who heard about a great job opening here or there.

Next fall, Stanford will be heading to Portland State University to pursue a master’s degree in history. She arrives as the recipient of the prestigious Caroline P. Stoel Editorial Fellowship, a full-ride scholarship which will cover the cost of her tuition, as well as a stipend for living expenses, so she can really focus on her education. From there, she envisions becoming an editor for an academic publisher; something she will gain some experience at as the student editor for the Pacific Historical Review, a quarterly publication that is distributed to university libraries.

When Nick Caleb first stepped foot on campus, his world revolved around sports. By the time he left, his world had expanded considerably.

As a junior at Klamath Union High School, Caleb had been in the running for a scholarship to play for Harvard’s basketball team when he broke his leg the summer before his senior year. As a nearly straight-A student and natural athlete, he had a dozen college options to choose from but a significant talent scholarship to play soccer for Concordia’s team lured him here, along with the possibility that his best friend since the age of ten would be coming to Concordia University, as well.

After a challenging first year on the soccer team, the focus began to shift for him; instead of concentrating on what his feet could do, he started to discover what his mind could do. For the first time in his life, Caleb said he became an active participant in his education rather than being passively taught. For this reason, he said his disappointments on the field and court turned into monumental blessings in disguise, because they lead to him transforming his outlook and expectations for his life in ways he never predicted.

Caleb also credits his professors as key conduits of change in his life. He said “My professors wouldn’t allow me to just ‘get by.’ They got to know me, figured out what I was capable of and then kept raising the bar.” He said they inspired him to do better than his best.

One of the highlights of his career at Concordia University was a trip to Australia with Prof. Sergei Polozov, the summer between his sophomore and junior year. It was a two week Summer Tropical Biology course offered collaboratively through the Portland and Austin branches of Concordia University. What Caleb had learned in an earlier ecology course was brought to life through this hands-on encounter in the field and it was an experience he’ll never forget.

Caleb’s educational adventure in Australia set him on a course that continues to have a profound impact on his future. Next fall he will head to University of Oregon’s Law School where he plans to center his studies on molecular biology with the plan of one day becoming either a biotech or environmental lawyer.

Luis Garcia’s family pulled up stakes in Michoacan, Mexico and put down new roots in Klamath Falls, Oregon when he was just 11 years old. Even though he had nine (yes, nine!) siblings to commiserate with, the language barrier was formidable and he wondered if he’d be able to make any new friends. Fortunately, he had one interest that didn’t require much English: Soccer. A teammate of his, a quiet kid by the name of Nick Caleb, would become one of his first friends in America. Caleb is still his best friend today, and they were roommates throughout all four years at Concordia University.

Garcia said that when he decided he was interested in possibly becoming a teacher, Concordia was at the top of the list. When he was offered a soccer scholarship, that sealed the deal. He was a key member of the soccer team all four years and was a NAIA Honorable Mention All-American, first-team all-Region.

Remarkably, the subject that proved the most challenging aspect of making the transition to this country a decade earlier became Garcia’s major. In the process of fulfilling requirements for an English degree, Garcia took a course taught by Dr. Daniel Wright. He became interested in Dr. Wright’s quest to unmask the true author of William Shakespeare’s works and got involved in the international conference that happens here each spring.

As the first member of his family to graduate from college, Garcia’s parents are unbelievably proud of him and know the sacrifices they made to come to this country were well worth it. Garcia said that he wants to do for others what his parents have done for him and continue their legacy by giving back to the community in thanks for all the support and blessings that have come his way. With that in mind, he is heading to University of Oregon’s Law School this fall and plans to study Immigration or Criminal Law. And his roommate at law school? Nick Caleb, the friend who believed in him from the very beginning.

Lynn James is proud of who she is: Native American. African American. Mother of three. And now she can add college graduate to the list.

Prior to arriving on campus, James had spent the better part of 11 years as an alcohol and drug counselor for a local non-profit agency. She said that despite the fact that she had the keys to the place and trained staff regularly, she was constantly overlooked for promotions or raises while she watched a steady stream of those she’d trained pass her by. What did the others have that she lacked? A college degree. She decided to quit whining and enrolled at Portland Community College. When she heard that Concordia University offered a Bachelors degree in Social Work, she said she submitted her application for enrollment on a total whim. She didn’t expect to be admitted and didn’t think she’d be able to afford it if she was. She said she’ll never forget the day she received the financial aid letter that cleared the way for her to get the education she so desired and finally move her career in the right direction.

Since then she’s become a strong advocate for Concordia University, spreading the word to friends about the educational opportunities here and financial support offered. And, as a Native American with ties to the Yakama, Cowlitz and Nisqual tribes, she’s developed a reputation as an educational resource for information about the Native American culture. She’s been known to assist other students with presentations and has even taken her family to area classrooms to speak about Native American history and culture.

As a non-traditional student with three children at home, she joked that it took a village for her to earn her degree. Without the help of her mother, god parents and her understanding professors, there is no way she would have been able to go to school, work two jobs and raise three children. She said she learned firsthand that we don’t do anything by ourselves; just when she would get to the point where she felt like throwing in the towel, God would allow doors to open and make it possible for her to continue. Many times those doors came in the form of an instructor shifting a deadline for her to ensure she had an opportunity to complete her studies and succeed.

James has gained a new respect for why education is such a valuable part of a person’s growth. She said not only has her self-esteem increased throughout this journey but she’s noticed even her children’s’ performance in school has improved by following her example. Currently, she is in the process of writing a book about her mother who is the granddaughter of Mary Kiona, a well-known basket maker of the Cowlitz people who lived to be approximately 121 years old. Next, she plans to get her Masters in Public Administration. She hopes to be able to eventually live on the reservation and give something back to the Native American community who has shown her so much support over the years.

James’ tribal name is “Howlak Kwaii” which means “Spirit of the Cougar.” Anyone who’s had the privilege of meeting her knows they got it just right.