Concordia settles into new home
Concordia settles into new home
Written by Kara Vaught Friday, 20 June 2008
The view of the Austin Hill Country Reserve from the floor-to-ceiling windows in the offices and classrooms of Concordia University Texas may make the transition to the new campus a bit easier for students and professors accustomed to seeing IH 35 traffic from the windows of the old campus.
The fall semester will begin Sept. 10 in the renovated former home of oilfield services company Schlumberger Ltd., which Concordia purchased in March 2007. The university owns 384 acres, 250 of which are a protected nature preserve.
Rapidly running out of room at its landlocked 23-acre campus near the University of Texas on IH 35, Concordia leaders decided in 2005 to relocate the school, considering several sites before selecting the scenic location in Northwest Austin.
The move has been bittersweet for some with long histories at Concordia, said Dan Gregory, university services project manager, but people quickly become excited about the move when they see the new campus.
“Our facility out here is gorgeous. The views out here are spectacular — a true testimony to God’s hand in creation.”
Bridges connecting the six existing structures overlook seemingly endless acres of greenery. The buildings are being remodeled into classrooms, offices and common areas that take full advantage of the views. For example, a multilevel outdoor dining area fronts a ravine entangled with vines and trees.
Student housing and a field house are under construction, and the university has more than 100 acres of useable space for future phases of construction.
“[At the old campus] parking was tight, to say the least; several of our athletic teams had to meet off campus for games and practice because there was no room for fields and student housing was limited,” Gregory said. “Here we certainly have room to grow.”
Kristi Kirk, director of enrollment planning, said the university will begin new recruitment efforts north of Austin after the construction dust settles, adding that Cedar Park and Leander have always been a strong source of students.
To preserve university history, several items from the old campus were salvaged and will be featured somewhere at the new location, including a statue of Martin Luther, a bell from a ship that brought Lutherans to America, a cruciform, stained glass window, plaques and building cornerstones.
“It has been a priority from the beginning of this project to honor those important features from the past as well as embrace new traditions and qualities of this space,” Gregory said.
FACTS
- What is Concordia?
- Concordia University Texas is part of The Concordia University System, which is affiliated with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. All faiths are welcome.
- Where is Concordia?
- The new address is 11400 Concordia University Drive, Austin, TX 78726.
- Who attends Concordia?
- Spring 2008 enrollment numbers indicate 720 traditional undergraduate students, 830 graduate students and 412 non-traditional undergraduates attended, with an average class size of fewer than 20 students.
- What does Concordia cost?
- Beginning in the fall of 2008, tuition is $20,490 per year and room and board is $7,800. About 75 percent of students receive financial aid.
- What degrees does Concordia offer?
- Associate of Arts; Bachelor of Business Administration; Bachelor of Arts in Behavioral Sciences, Biology, Business, Communication, Director of Christian Education, English, Environmental Science, History, Interdisciplinary (Elementary/Middle) Education, Liberal Arts, Kinesiology, Mathematics, Music Ministry, Multidisciplinary (Secondary) Education; Bachelor of Science in Biology, Computer Science, Environmental Science; Master of Education
For further information on higher education activities in the area, go to these Community Impact articles:
Texas State University School of Nursing
Medical school comes to Round Rock
Southwestern makes major curriculum change
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