 The construction of Park Region Hall in the mid-1950s as a women’s dormitory was part of Concordia’s response to increasing post-WWII student enrollment as well as the availability of government loans. From 1951 to 1955 the college’s enrollment increased by fifty-two percent, with 1354 students registered for the 1955-56 academic year. In addition to providing a new housing option for students, Park Region Hall experimented with a new form of residence governance that was eventually adopted across campus. In the twenty-first century the dormitory remains a place to test new ideas. During the 2016-2017 academic year Park Region was the first Concordia dormitory to offer a sexuality- and gender-inclusive floor.
|
 Margaret Signora Callsen discovered a love of learning in her time as a student at Concordia that she carried with her throughout the rest of her life and career. This love of learning grew in Callsen and she became determined to spread it to others through her own teaching at several universities. After her retirement she continued to encourage education by providing a generous donation to Concordia College to support junior faculty and undergraduate research.
|
 In 1968, Concordia College opened Hallett Hall, an all-women’s dormitory, along with Erickson Hall, an all-men’s dormitory. The dormitories were built as different sections of one complex. It was the first time since the college’s very early years, when its single building was home to both sexes by necessity, that men and women lived in such close proximity. Hoyum Hall was a former women’s dormitory that became the first building on campus to house both male and female students in 2008.
|
 Fjelstad Hall was built on Concordia’s campus in the late 1930s as a new women’s dormitory. One of the most attractive buildings on the college grounds, it provided female students comfortable accommodations and supervision while they were away from home. Though periodically remodeled and updated, the dormitory was used consistently for female campus housing until 2014.
|
 Double standards in the regulation of student conduct at Concordia College placed the liberties of women below those of men. Dress codes and smoking policies in particular explicitly treated female students differently than male students. A combination of student action as well as changing social views brought an end to these sexist differences in regulation over the course of the 1960s and 1970s.
|
 Born in La Porte, Indiana, offspring of a Lutheran household, Fay Holmes-Ferguson followed her faith tradition in attending Concordia College. As changes set in motion by the Civil Rights and Black Student Movements rippled through higher education, Holmes joined the first cohort of African American students on Concordia’s largely white campus. She graduated magna cum laude, going on to earn an M.B.A. degree from Indiana University. Holmes-Ferguson followed a successful career in advertising, eventually being named co-CEO at Burrell Communications Group, Chicago, Illinois. Ferguson joined Concordia’s Board of Regents in 2012. In 2016, Fay saw a need and felt compelled to create the Diversity Student Endowed Scholarship which she co-founded with Concordia alumnus Dr. Earl Lewis '78. The goal of the scholarship fund is twofuld: to encourage students from diverse backgrounds to attend a quality liberal arts college and to increase the diversity of experiences represented on Concordia's campus. A gifted executive and community leader, Ferguson’s core life motto of leading a purpose-driven life focused on helping others, exemplifies the spirit and mission of Concordia College.
|
 Jean Ahlness Stebinger was a 1943 graduate of Concordia. She was stationed in the American Embassy in Cairo, Egypt during World War II and arranged meetings between North African leaders and President Franklin Roosevelt. She also travelled the world and participated in humanitarian efforts.
|
 Kathryn “Kathy” Benson spent fifty years of her life employed at Concordia College. Through her work at the Kjos Health Center and beyond, she touched the lives of many and supported both students and staff in their physical and mental wellness. Benson was a deeply valued and beloved figure during her time at the college.
|
 Women’s athletics thrive at Concordia, but the varsity programs currently known and loved did not have their beginning until 1972 and have undergone some dramatic changes in management over the decades, from the Women’s Athletic Association (WAA) and the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW), to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Women have fought for the chance to have their talents shine on the court, on the field, in the pool, and more, and while this trend towards gender equality is still ongoing, women’s athletics have nonetheless gained great strides.
|
 Dr. Joan N. Buckley had a long and fulfilling career at Concordia College, honored by the awards she gained during her tenure. One of three female professors at Concordia in 1956 when she began her work for the college, Dr. Buckley made her mark on campus by being the first female faculty member to receive her doctoral degree while employed, married, and raising a child. While this accomplishment was not appreciated at the time, the achievement came to be respected in Concordia’s history.
|