Concordia Presidents
In honor of Presidents' Day on February 16, let's take a look at some of Concordia's finest leaders.
I.F. Grose served as Concordia College’s first leader. When Concordia opened its doors in the fall of 1891, the institution was officially an academy though “college” was in its name. As an academy, Concordia offered two-year programs of study including a business course, practical course, and classical course. Thus, the title of the head of the college was principal rather than president though the function of the position was synonymous. Grose came to Concordia from St. Olaf where he was a faculty member from 1886 to 1891. When he arrived at Concordia in September 1891, he moved into Bishop Whipple Hall to commence his duties as principal while the building was renovated. Grose later reminisced in an October 27, 1939 Concordian article: “It was in this building and at this time, I believe that when I had gone to bed, I could hear mice undisturbedly hold their nightly frolics. They must have pulled off marathon races throughout the building.” I. F. Grose remained the school’s principal until 1893; he continued to serve Concordia in other roles, including treasurer and instructor, until 1896. Grose Hall is named in his honor.
Hans H. Aaker served as Concordia’s principal after I. F. Grose stepped down. Prior to arriving at Concordia College, Aaker lead the commercial department at Willmar Seminary in Willmar, Minnesota. Using this experience, Aaker helped form the commercial department at Concordia, which he supervised until he assumed the presidency in 1893. Aaker served as Concordia’s second principal from 1893 to 1902. In 1902, Aaker resigned from Concordia and opened a business college in Fargo. He remained in charge of the business college until 1918 when he moved to Grand Forks to operate a similar school. In addition to his leadership in founding such schools, Aaker also served as mayor of Moorhead.
Rasmus R. Bogstad came to Concordia in 1891 and assumed the presidency in 1902. He was the first leader to serve as “president” when the position title changed in 1906. The change from principal to president was a significant point in Concordia’s history as it signified the goal of developing a four-year program rather than operating as an academy. Bogstad was a firm believer in the liberal arts, and he played an instrumental role in guiding the institution in that direction. During his tenure, Bogstad persuaded the Northwestern Lutheran College Association to expand the classical course to include college-level courses. Bogstad also knew that Concordia would need to add more facilities to accommodate a college program, and thus he embarked on a campaign to build what is now Old Main. The building was his conception, and he secured monies from Andrew Carnegie to fund part of the project. Bogstad also had the foresight to purchase the land upon which the structure now sits so it would be available for the building project. Rasmus Bogstad wrote one of the first histories of the college and titled it The Early History of Concordia College: A Record of the School from 1891-1910. This work was later expanded and the title changed to Concordia College through Fifty Years. Bogstad Manor and Bogstad East are named in his honor.
Henry O. Shurson came to Concordia in 1907 from Henning, Minnesota where he had worked as a pastor. His first roles at Concordia College were as an instructor and financial secretary. He was elected president of the college in 1909 and served until 1911. He left Concordia to become president at Spokane College in Spokane, Washington where he served until 1913. Shurson was later named financial secretary of the Norwegian Lutheran Church in America (NLCA) in 1917 and appointed secretary of the church’s Board of Trustees in 1924. In 1925, he was named treasurer of the NLCA where he remained until 1950.
Johan A. Aasgaard came to Concordia from DeForest, Iowa where he had served as a pastor for ten years. He was elected to the presidency of Concordia in 1911. Before Aasgaard was named president of Concordia, the school was a small, struggling two-year academy. During his presidency, Concordia merged with Park Region Luther College of Fergus Falls and became an accredited, degree-granting liberal arts college that graduated its first class in 1917. Aasgaard was also instrumental in building a gymnasium-assembly on campus. As well as serving as Concordia’s president, Aasgaard was chairman of the Clay County chapter of the American Red Cross and War Finance Committee, as well as chairman of the Moorhead Library Board, all the while serving as a pastor at Salem Lutheran, a church in rural Fargo for 14 years. Aasgaard was granted honorary doctorates from St. Olaf College, Wittenberg University, Luther College, Augustana College, and the University of Oslo, Norway. He was honored by the King of Norway and made Commander and holder of Grand Cross Royal of the Order of St. Olav.
John N. Brown came to Concordia from serving as a pastor at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Austin, Minnesota. Brown was elected president of Concordia in 1925 and served a total of 26 years as the institution’s leader. Under his leadership, the institution’s rating was elevated to requirements of the National Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges. He raised funds for the construction of Fjelstad and Brown Halls, Memorial Auditorium, the central heating plant, the science hall and other small buildings around town. These buildings were funded by a number of campaigns that Brown headed including the Endowment Drive of 1926, the Pioneer Library and Memorial Campaign, and the Jubilee Campaign. He also purchased the home and land of what is now the President’s Residence. During his time at Concordia, Brown worked to establish the reputation of the college and even managed to keep up growth during the surge of returning GI’s from World War II. After his departure from the presidency in 1951, Rev. Brown was remembered by those at Concordia as having created a warm, evangelistic atmosphere on campus because of his conservative Lutheran stand and biblical faithfulness, as well as his emphasis on personal Christian life that were the foundations of his leadership. Rev. Brown was knighted by King Haakon of Norway to the Order of St. Olav.
Joseph L. Knutson was unanimously elected to the presidency of Concordia in 1951. He came to Concordia from serving at the University Lutheran Church of Hope in Minneapolis. During his 24 year presidency, the college’s financial base broadened and enrollment grew from 890 to 2500, which was the third largest student population in the state. Eighteen new facilities were added during Knutson’s presidency including Memorial Auditorium, Carl B. Ylvisaker Library, 5 residence halls, 3 academic buildings, a football stadium, a student center, and the Norwegian Language Village near Bemidji, Minnesota. President Knutson was said to have a strong and uncompromising voice for Christian values and liberal arts education, and it was his dedication to the mission of the college that guided him through the trying social issues that surrounded the school during the sixties and seventies. He was praised as having personal integrity, high standards, unwavering convictions, and a rare courage that won him both abiding admiration and respect from faculty and students alike. Knutson received honorary doctorates from both St. Olaf College and Concordia College, and in 1962 he was awarded the Knight’s First Class, Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav by the Norwegian government. In 1966 he was honored by Concordia’s C-400 Club, and in 1967, he received the Martin Luther Medallion from Lutheran Brotherhood for his contributions to the life of the church. Concordia honors him today with a bronze statue made in his likeness that stands in the Knutson Campus Center—the building named in his honor.
Paul J. Dovre, who graduated from Concordia in 1958, is the only Concordia president who has attended the school. Dovre later returned to Concordia, becoming an assistant professor of speech and director of forensics in 1963. While director of forensics, he coached teams to national tournaments across the country. He was promoted to associate academic dean in 1967 and then academic dean in 1970. He was named president of Concordia in 1975 and served a long, successful presidency of 24 years until his retirement in 1999.
During his time at Concordia, President Dovre became a well-respected spokesperson for higher education and Christian higher education in particular. He was named one of the top 100, or in the top three percent, of college and university presidents in a study at Bowling Green University. Some of his accomplishments for Concordia include raising more than $150 million dollars for the school. This money helped fund a significant number of student scholarships, as well as the building of the Olson Forum, the Centennial Mall and Campanile, and the renovation of the Hvidsten Hall of Music. His other leadership accomplishments include: receiving the prestigious Olin Foundation and Knight Foundation grants, creating academic planning documents that guided innovative curriculum and program development, establishing Concordia’s leading role in Habitat for Humanity, and becoming a strong advocate for student travel and study abroad. In addition, he spearheaded two visits of Norwegian Royalty in 1982 and 1996.
After leaving Concordia, Dovre played a key role in the development of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). He has received recognition as Knight, First Class, of the Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav from the Norwegian government and has received honorary degrees from Wartburg College, Luther College, St. Olaf College, Concordia College, and Capital University. Dr. Dovre has been a visiting scholar at Harvard University, as well as interim dean of students at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota and an interim president at Capital University. Since his retirement in 1999, he has returned twice to Concordia to serve as interim president: once from 2003-2004 and again from 2010-2011. The Centennial Campanile, located in the center of campus, is named in his honor as the Paul J. Dovre Campanile.
During his time at Concordia, President Dovre became a well-respected spokesperson for higher education and Christian higher education in particular. He was named one of the top 100, or in the top three percent, of college and university presidents in a study at Bowling Green University. Some of his accomplishments for Concordia include raising more than $150 million dollars for the school. This money helped fund a significant number of student scholarships, as well as the building of the Olson Forum, the Centennial Mall and Campanile, and the renovation of the Hvidsten Hall of Music. His other leadership accomplishments include: receiving the prestigious Olin Foundation and Knight Foundation grants, creating academic planning documents that guided innovative curriculum and program development, establishing Concordia’s leading role in Habitat for Humanity, and becoming a strong advocate for student travel and study abroad. In addition, he spearheaded two visits of Norwegian Royalty in 1982 and 1996.
After leaving Concordia, Dovre played a key role in the development of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). He has received recognition as Knight, First Class, of the Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav from the Norwegian government and has received honorary degrees from Wartburg College, Luther College, St. Olaf College, Concordia College, and Capital University. Dr. Dovre has been a visiting scholar at Harvard University, as well as interim dean of students at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota and an interim president at Capital University. Since his retirement in 1999, he has returned twice to Concordia to serve as interim president: once from 2003-2004 and again from 2010-2011. The Centennial Campanile, located in the center of campus, is named in his honor as the Paul J. Dovre Campanile.
After graduating with a master of divinity from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1979, Thomas W. Thomsen served as pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Wilmington, Illinois until 1984. He then joined Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa as Assistant Director of the Capital Campaign and Advancement Association and Director of Financial Aid from 1984 to 1992. In 1992, he was named vice president for institutional advancement at Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Montana and served until 1996. He then served as president of Grand View College in Des Moines, Iowa until he became president of Concordia in 1999. While president of Concordia, he built a new health and wellness addition to the Olson Forum and renovated Livedalen Hall, as well as completed plans for new 100,000 square foot, $30 million campus center. He also spearheaded a five year strategic plan for the college before leaving the institution in 2003.
Pamela M. Jolicoeur received her doctorate from Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana and then became professor of sociology at California Lutheran University in 1972. She later became the sociology department chair in 1979 and served in that position until 1983 when she became the assistant academic dean before later becoming the associate academic dean. She was elected vice president of academic affairs at California Lutheran University from 1993 until 1996 when she was named provost and served in that position until 2004. She left California Lutheran University in 2004 to become Concordia College’s first female president.
During her presidency at Concordia, she was part of a select group of American college presidents invited by Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and Secretary of Education Margaret Spelling to participate in a summit on international education. She was also one of 30 college leaders who participated in a conference in Istanbul that looked for ways to strengthen exchanges between American and Muslim majority colleges and universities. She was invited to and presented at the Center for Health, Population, and Development Seminar at the Independent University, Bangladesh and met with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Muhammad Yunus at the Grameen Bank Headquarters in Dhaka.
Dr. Jolicoeur greatly impacted Concordia College. One of her presidential achievements was being instrumental in advancing the global education program. For example, she established a student exchange program with the United International College in Zhuhai, China through the Minnesota Private College Council. She was instrumental in the creation of the Offutt School of Business and in the implementation of a new core curriculum, known today as BREW. Dr. Jolicoeur also led the renovation of the Knutson Campus Center, including the addition of Anderson Commons.
Dr. Jolicoeur’s influence and service extended beyond campus and into the community. She served on boards of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, the Minnesota Private College Council, the Minnesota Public Radio/American Public Media, and the Greater Fargo-Moorhead Economic Development Corporation.
Dr. Jolicoeur served as president of Concordia College until her untimely passing in 2010.
During her presidency at Concordia, she was part of a select group of American college presidents invited by Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and Secretary of Education Margaret Spelling to participate in a summit on international education. She was also one of 30 college leaders who participated in a conference in Istanbul that looked for ways to strengthen exchanges between American and Muslim majority colleges and universities. She was invited to and presented at the Center for Health, Population, and Development Seminar at the Independent University, Bangladesh and met with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Muhammad Yunus at the Grameen Bank Headquarters in Dhaka.
Dr. Jolicoeur greatly impacted Concordia College. One of her presidential achievements was being instrumental in advancing the global education program. For example, she established a student exchange program with the United International College in Zhuhai, China through the Minnesota Private College Council. She was instrumental in the creation of the Offutt School of Business and in the implementation of a new core curriculum, known today as BREW. Dr. Jolicoeur also led the renovation of the Knutson Campus Center, including the addition of Anderson Commons.
Dr. Jolicoeur’s influence and service extended beyond campus and into the community. She served on boards of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, the Minnesota Private College Council, the Minnesota Public Radio/American Public Media, and the Greater Fargo-Moorhead Economic Development Corporation.
Dr. Jolicoeur served as president of Concordia College until her untimely passing in 2010.