Concordia College (New York)

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For other institutions with similar names, see Concordia University (disambiguation).
Concordia College New York
Concordia College NY Seal.jpg
Seal of Concordia College
TypePrivate four-year, coeducational institution
Religious affiliation
Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod
Academic affiliation
Concordia University System
PresidentJohn Arthur Nunes
ProvostRachel Eells
Academic staff
50[1]
Students1,597[2]
Undergraduates1,129[2]
Postgraduates468[2]
Location
Bronxville
,
New York
,
USA

40°56′35″N 73°49′17″W / 40.943°N 73.8215°W / 40.943; -73.8215Coordinates: 40°56′35″N 73°49′17″W / 40.943°N 73.8215°W / 40.943; -73.8215
CampusSuburb:Large 33 acres (Main campus)
Colors   Gold and Blue
NicknameClippers
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division II and Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference
Websitewww.concordia-ny.edu
Concordia College New York Logo small.png

Concordia College was a four-year liberal arts college in Bronxville, New York. Concordia College was sponsored by the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) and was a member of the Concordia University System. It was chartered by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York to offer associate, bachelor, and master's degrees.

Concordia, founded in 1881 as Concordia Progymnasium, received its original charter from the State Regents in 1936. From 1918 to 1969, it was named Concordia Collegiate Institute;[3] in 1969, the preparatory school was closed and the present name of the college was authorized by a charter change. In 1972, the State Regents authorized the college to grant the baccalaureate degree. In 2011, the State Regents authorized the college to grant the master's degree.[4]

On January 28, 2021, Concordia announced that it would cease offering classes as of the Fall 2021 semester, and that Iona College would purchase the Bronxville campus and provide a "teach-out" for current students. A parade of graduates was held on May 8, 2021 to mark the final commencement for the college.

Early history[]

Feth Main Building

Concordia College was founded in 1881 in Manhattan as a part of the Lutheran Church of St. Matthew.[5] It was established as a feeder school for Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. Edmund Bohn and J.H. Sieker (director and pastor, respectively, of the Lutheran Church of St. Matthew) established a Sexta and a Quinta (the equivalent to the first two years of high school) at St. Mathew Academy and thereby in effect began a Progymnasium.[6]

Concordia soon outgrew its modest beginning and by February 1893, land was purchased in Unionville, New York (now Hawthorne) for $9,000 donated by M. S. Becker. A sub-committee was elected to locate land outside of New York City. Pastor Edmund Bohn, William Dick, and Henry Fischer took a train to the Unionville Station in Westchester County. Property was selected based on the persuasiveness of a real estate agent and a local farmer who claimed that oats, corn, vegetables, and hay could be harvested from the land and that the property contained enough stones to build a foundation.[7]

CCNY Hawthorne Building

After great consideration (and myriad maintenance issues) the college was moved once again to its current home in Bronxville. Fourteen acres (5.7 ha) were bought for $52,383 on April 23, 1908. The Bronxville property, like the Hawthorn campus, was chosen for its close proximity to Manhattan and for its bucolic backdrop. Three buildings—Feth Hall, Bohm Hall, and the Commons—were designed by Edward Lippincott Tilton and constructed in eight months for $160,000, which included furnishings and landscaping. On January 4, 1910, the Bronxville campus opened with a student body of 100 young men.

On June 28, 2019, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education placed Concordia's accreditation on probation due to issues of assessment and financial stability.[8] Despite efforts to improve its finances, Concordia announced on January 28, 2021, that it would cease classes starting with the Fall 2021 semester. An agreement has been reached with Iona College in nearby New Rochelle under which Iona will purchase Concordia's Bronxville campus and provide a 'teach-out' for Concordia's current students. The announcement noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had accelerated the decline in the college's financial position.[9]

Scheele Memorial Library[]

The Scheele Memorial Library was dedicated on June 9, 1974, and honors the parents of Joan Scheele Mueller. Her father, business executive William Scheele, (1891-1924) and mother (1891-1957) were longtime members of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Brooklyn, New York.[10]

Scheele Library 1974

The Concordia College Archives preserves historical records of the college. The archives document the college, beginning at its first location in Manhattan, the move to Hawthorne, as well as the purchase of the present site and all its additions in Bronxville. The collection includes documents, office files, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, photographs, college publications, musical recordings, audio visual materials and artifacts.

Programs of study[]

Concordia offered the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees. The college also offered (on campus and online) the Master of Science in Childhood Special Education, Early Childhood Special Education, Business Leadership,[11] a post-baccalaureate Nursing program, an R.N. to B.S. program, and accelerated associate and bachelor's degree completion programs for adults.[3]

Nursing program[]

Nursing Students

Concordia College offered three nursing programs: the Traditional Undergraduate program, the Post-Baccalaureate program, and a RN to BS program.

The Traditional Undergraduate program was designed for first-year and transfer students and provided courses for traditional undergraduate students who seek a Bachelor of Science degree. The Post-Baccalaureate program was an accelerated, 15-month Bachelor of Science program for students with a bachelor's degree in another field. The RN to BS program was designed for Registered Nurses who seek a bachelor's degree to advance their careers.

In 2018, Concordia College's nursing students had an 94.8% pass rate for first-time RN NCLEX test-takers.[12]

Students and faculty[]

Concordia's students came from 23 states and more than 37 countries worldwide. The student-to-professor ratio was 13 to 1. Total enrollment was 1,037 students before of its closing in 2021. 93% of the College's students received some form of financial aid, whether grants or loans, and approximately 60% of Concordia's students lived on campus.

The College's Math Team regularly competed in the International Contest in Mathematical Modeling where students consistently performed at or above the Ivy League and thousands of teams from China. In 2014 the team scored at the Successful Participant level, achieved by 58% of the world.

Professors at Concordia were graduates of such institutions as Yale, Columbia, New York University, the University of Pennsylvania, Oxford University, and Eastman School of Music.

Student organizations[]

Concordia College's clubs and organizations were formed by students with common interests and objectives. The clubs and organizations that existed at Concordia are listed below.

Student Government: Executive Board, Student Senate, Inter-Greek Council; Committees on Issues and Voting, and Outreach

Publications: The Arcade (yearbook), The Prelude (Fellow's journal), and The Clippings (electronic newspaper)

Concordia College Student Life Campus

Culture/Fine Arts: Concordia Players, Tour Choir, Festival Choir, Gospel Choir, Chapel Choir, Chamber Ensembles, International, Jazz Ensembles, Music and Talent Club, Multicultural Club, and Praise Dance Team, and Spanish Dance Club Service/Spiritual Clubs: Alpha Sigma Chi, Delta Omega Pi, Theta Zeta Upsilon, Omega Psi Eta, Business Club, Education Club, Social Work Club, Praise Dance Team, Christian Campus Ministries

Social/Recreational: Commuter Council, International Club, Student Activities Committee, Cheerleading, and Intramurals

Academic Clubs: Biology Club, Psychology Club, Pre-Law Club, Alpha Mu Gamma Foreign Language Honor Society, Alpha Sigma Lambda Adult Education Honor Society, Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society, Nursing National Honor Society, and the National Student Nursing Association

Athletics[]

Official athletics logo.

Concordia College-New York was a long-time competitor in NCAA Division II, as a member of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC). Concordia sponsored 12 varsity intercollegiate teams in the 2018–19 academic year: women's cross country, soccer, tennis, volleyball, basketball, and softball, and men's cross country, soccer, basketball, baseball, tennis and golf.

Meyer Athletic Center
CCNY - 1900s Football

The Meyer Athletic Center's 700-seat gymnasium was home to the Concordia College men's and women's basketball teams and volleyball team. It also housed the Department of Athletics offices, as well as the athletic training room, locker rooms for both men and women, and a fitness center. Also in the complex were the Clipper Baseball Field, Clipper Softball Field, and the Clipper Soccer Field.

Concordia Conservatory[]

Concordia Conservatory was a center for music education in Westchester County. The Conservatory attempted to integrate music into the cultural life of the lower Westchester community. In addition to grassroots programs in schools, libraries, assisted living, and day care centers, the Conservatory offered performances. More than 150 performances were given each year including: Music-on-Parade for Scholarship, the Hoch Chamber Music Series, the Chamber Music Festival, and faculty concerts.[13]

Donald A. Krenz Academic Center[]

The 12,000-square-foot (1,100 m2) Krenz Center addition to the Scheele Memorial Library's second floor, completed in August 2006, contained classrooms, including the 82-seat Pietruski Auditorium, a 20-station computer teaching room, the Darlene Hedin Krenz Center for New Media and Digital Production, The Yeager Collection, and the OSilas Art Gallery. It was named after Donald Krenz who was chairman of Concordia College's 13-member Board of Regents, a New York City lawyer, and businessman.

The center was selected for the 2009 American School and University Magazine Education Interiors Showcase. The project was chosen "for its ability to integrate current and future technology, innovative use of materials, life-cycle cost versus first cost, timelessness, safety and security, clarity of design concept, and accommodation of an enhanced educational mission.[14]"

The Yeager Collection is a collection of autographs of American businessmen, financiers, and wealth creators. It is underwritten by George and Barbara Yeager.[15]

The OSilas Gallery (underwritten by Si and Vicki Ford) opened on September 14, 2006.[16] The gallery provided exhibitions, lectures, workshops, and art tours featuring a variety of art genres and styles, such as historic, contemporary, and new media. Many of these events were integrated with art and other academic programs at the college; an exhibition of Concordia student art was held annually.

OSilas Gallery
THE DAVIES COLLECTION
OSilas Gallery Paintings

Schoenfeld Building[]

In 1926, the college's Board of Control unsuccessfully petitioned the LCMS to build a campus gym. Subsequently, the Schoenfeld Memorial Campaign committee was formed and set out to raise $100,000 for construction costs. The Schoenfeld Gymnasium was ultimately erected by the efforts of both the church congregation and The Lutheran Education Society. The gym opened on October 1, 1928. The final cost for the construction project was $140,000. The gymnasium was originally designed by American architect: James Gamble Rogers.[17]

The gym was dedicated to William F. Schoenfeld, "one of the foremost Lutheran ministers in New York".[18] Among many accomplishments associated with the Lutheran Church, Schoenfeld was pastor for 21 years of the Immanuel Church in Manhattan and one of the founders of the Lutheran Education Society.[19] He "died suddenly July 30 [1919], on Buck Mountain, near Lake George, N.Y".[20]

In 1994, three million dollars was raised to convert the Schoenfeld building into a drama facility and center for student life. On September 30, 1995, the building was re-opened to the college community.

On October 30, 2015, the new Schoenfeld Campus Center opened. The new modifications included a food court, expanded seating area, an enhanced game room, a redesigned campus store, new study lounges, and a redesigned garden in the outdoor courtyard.

Accreditation[]

Concordia College was accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. The Social Work program was accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).

The Teacher Education Program at Concordia College-New York was accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Education Preparation (CAEP). This accreditation covers initial teacher preparation programs at Concordia College-New York. However, the accreditation does not include individual education courses that the institution offers to P-12 educators for professional development or other purposes.

The Nursing Program was accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

The Business Program was a candidate for accreditation by the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE).

The college was registered by the New York State Education Department and the College's International Center for English as a Second Language was a member of the American Association of Intensive English Programs.

Notable alumni[]

References[]

As of 1 April 2015, this article is derived in whole or in part from Concordia College New York. The copyright holder has licensed the content in a manner that permits reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 and GFDL. All relevant terms must be followed.

  1. ^ "Concordia College Faculty Profiles". Concordia-NY. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c "College Navigation". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b "Concordia College Catalog". Concordia College. Archived from the original on April 3, 2015. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
  4. ^ "Concordia College NY". Accreditation. Archived from the original on April 18, 2015. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  5. ^ "Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Matthew - About Us". Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Matthew. Retrieved April 8, 2015.
  6. ^ Steinberg, Alan (1981). We Will Remember: Concordia College the First Century. Concordia College. p. 3.
  7. ^ Steinberg, Alan (1981). We Will Remember: Concordia College the First Century. Concordia College. p. 8.
  8. ^ "Special Message from President Nunes and Board of Regents Chair Joe Carlin". Concordia College New York. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  9. ^ "Concordia College New York to Close". www.concordia-ny.edu. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  10. ^ "The Service of Dedication Scheele Memorial Library". June 9, 1974: 4,7. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  11. ^ Krueger. "Concordia College, Bronxville Business ethics at the forefront". Westchester Magazine. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
  12. ^ "New York State RN NCLEX Results:2018-2022". NYSED.gov. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
  13. ^ "Concordia Conservatory Press Releases". Concordia College–New York. Archived from the original on September 4, 2015. Retrieved April 8, 2015.
  14. ^ "Educational Interiors Showcase". American School and University. 81 (13): 84. 2009.
  15. ^ Demarest, William. "Inside the 'Captains of Industry': Historian Puts Entrepreneurs In Perspective At Concordia College". Patch. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  16. ^ Harrington, Stephanie (September 22, 2006). "Concordia's new OSlias Gallery opens with Old Masters exhibition". The Town Report. 9 (144): 3.
  17. ^ "Rogers (James Gamble) Papers". Yale UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Manuscripts & Archives. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1982. Retrieved December 3, 2015.
  18. ^ "LUTHERANS TO LAY STONE". New York Times. May 20, 1928. Retrieved December 3, 2015.
  19. ^ The Schoenfeld Memorial Campaign. "In Memory of a Devoted Servant of Christ ..." (Print) |format= requires |url= (help). p. 9.
  20. ^ "The Rev. William Schoenfeld". The Guardian of Liberty. VI (1): 65, 66. 1919. Retrieved December 3, 2015.

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