Advancing Business Education at Concordia: Moorhead, Minnesota

 
            Numerous students are exploring colleges searching for the perfect fit; they are looking for a prestigious education, the right program, and ways for sustainable growth. Recently, Concordia has made significant changes to their campus to ensure students’ needs are met. Concordia has changed the business program to expand their students learning. Developing a new building, as well as adding additional programs shows that Concordia has made steps to making their business program a higher education. 
            Education is important today and continues to prove true as time moves forward. Having an education is an investment that no one can take away from you. Furthermore, students want an education that helps push them to continue to learn every day.  According to Samantha Grabelle who has a master degree in social work, “Learning is about learning how to think.”[1] Having the knowledge to think critically and ethically in this world helps students engage in their communities and potentially globally. It is important for students to find the right college that will advance their way to think critically. Concordia College is a school that students should consider when evaluating education at schools.
             As a liberal arts institution, Concordia offers an education that is designed to broaden students’ horizons and challenge them to think critically. According to the Concordia College Catalog 2016-2017, “The Lutheran theological tradition emphasizes that we are all called to serve our neighbor and care for creation in response to God’s love. Thus, Concordia College strives to equip students for vocation- using their talents for the sake of the world.”[2] Concordia wants their students to have moral values and engage in helping the world. Even though Concordia has a unique education, the college is also trying to promote growth.
            Concordia has found ways to promote sustainable growth through programs in their curriculum. The business programs have seen substantial growth for years. Concordia has seen new efforts to develop the business program, 2008 Dean of the Business School Greg Cant stated, “The goals are to make business education more comprehensive and rigorous at Concordia.”[3] By doing this, it will allow the business program to improve and create an environment for the students to improve their learning. Furthermore, Concordia does not just want to grow their enrollment, instead the college wants to have a facility that will benefit students to increase their learning.  
           In addition to the business program gaining growth, there are ways that Concordia enhanced the program in a smart way. According to Edward D. Hess the book titled Smart Growth, “Growth is a complex change process that changes an organization, the people in it, and the myriad relationships both within a company and in its business environment… Growth should be a conscious and rigorous management decision made only after weighing its pros and cons and developing both a growth strategy and a plan to manage the risks created by growth.”[4] When dealing with growth, there is always change. The object is to make a strategic plan on how you can make smart changes that do not affect the organization. Concordia wants to change their business program to expand the education, yet keep the same moral values.
            Furthermore, Concordia has developed a strategic way to build the Offutt School of Business that will develop a growing atmosphere for their business program. To see growth within the business program, Concordia made the decision to build the Offutt School of business. To do so, Concordia needed to develop a smart business plan that would allow for the funding of the new site. Keep in mind, According to Greg Cant, “The idea of the business school is not to increase the enrollment or expand beyond undergraduate education.”[5] Concordia does not just want to grow their enrollment, instead have a facility that will benefit students to increase their learning. Offutt School of Business creates opportunities for individuals to succeed.
            The Offutt School of Business was the continued growth of Concordia’s business program. It offers opportunities to impact the community, gives students the option to engage in real-life situations, and support economic development. Concordia has seen significant changes to their campus, but still holds strong to their core values internally.
            The Offutt School of Business was originally the East Campus. Innovation and creativity made the Offutt School of Business what it is today. According to the online textbook American Yawp, “The last several decades of American history have culminated in the present, an era of innovation and advancement.”[6] The Offutt School of Business has found change through innovation and advancement not only in appearance but curriculum. Technology is constantly changing; therefore, the Offutt School of Business was built for keeping up with technological change. It is created with big and small work spaces for their students. This creates a social atmosphere for students to engage with each other. As you can see in my re-photography project, the exterior of the building is modern and displays an innovative look. The glass on the outside shows openness and efficiency. The outside landscape surrounding the building looks fresh and displays new growth. The new building offers a great design, that is able to hold an enhanced learning environment for their students to collaborate and work together.
            Concordia has made significant changes in the business program over time. According to the Concordia College Record, the following business majors were offered in 1965: “Business administration, Economics, and Mathematics.”[7] Since then, the business program has expanded the business programs. According to the Archives at Concordia, “The business program today [2012] offers seven majors which includes: business (healthcare leadership, marketing and sales, organizational leadership and finance/economics), global business and accounting, (traditional and CPA program).”[8] To further exemplify, Concordia is building a foundation for students to grow and achieve a variety of options through the business program.
            Concordia has seen many benefits by growing the business program. Concordia has even been recognized for success. According to the Archives at Concordia, “Concordia’s Minnesota Small Business Department Center at Concordia College has been named the Minnesota Small Business Development Center of Excellence and Innovation of the year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.”[9] Furthermore, Concordia strives to create an atmosphere for their students to engage and think critically in our ever-changing world. Students can use all their abilities and resources to contribute not only to communities, but globally. Concordia has redefined learning by expanding resources to their students. At Concordia, the business program can increase students’ ability to learn how to think in a growing world.

Written by: Seth Jacobson
December 5, 2016

Photo Credentials: 
East Complex, Concordia College Archives, Moorhead, Minnesota, "Several Students Walking near East Complex". East Complex (P06229), Building Picture Files, Concordia College Archives. Assessed in October, 2016.

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