Kolleen Quinlan '02
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Greetings!
My name is Kolleen Quinlan, Class of ’02. I am both blessed
and honored to have been chosen as a representative for the honor classes of
Homecoming 2012. I would like to take a few minutes to tell you my Concordia
story, as well as invite you to attend this year’s homecoming celebration.
My Concordia journey began in May of 2000 when I received a
letter inviting me attend an open house for the Adult Degree Program (ADP). To
be honest, I really knew nothing about Concordia University,
other than I drove passed the I-35 campus everyday on my commute to and from
work. But I was intrigued as to why I had been selected and decided to attend
to learn more about the program, and whether or not Concordia would be a right
fit for me as I endeavored to complete my Bachelor’s Degree. By the divine
grace of God, I could not have made a better choice.
I still remember the first time I walked into Kramer Hall. I
was a little taken aback at how old the building was, but I remember thinking,
“Don’t judge a book by its cover.” And I entered the classroom for the first of
many nights spent with fellow students who shared a common desire to complete
their education, while maintaining a full-time job during the day. Many were
mothers and fathers, husbands and wives. Men and women I came to admire for their
ability to balance work, children, marital commitment, and school. I am
thankful Concordia was there to offer us this opportunity through ADP.
As I think back on those days, I am reminded, too, of the
classes I took with traditional students. It was quite refreshing to be in a
classroom surrounded by young minds with bright, successful futures ahead of
them. And we were all fortunate to have professors who cared enough about our
education to be available to assist us when we were struggling in a particular
discipline. I am most grateful to professors like Dr. Zilke, Dr. Lacey, Prof.
Stahlke, and Prof. Puffe. Thank you for bringing out the best in all of us.
It is hard to believe that 10 years have passed since I
graduated. But I feel fortunate that I had the opportunity to be part of an
institution that embraces not only higher education, but family, friendship, a
sense of community, and most importantly, Christian faith and love. I will
always cherish the memories I have of being part of former Homecoming
Committees; being part of the first Strategic Planning Committee; volunteering
for Field Day; being a former Alumni Board member; and the feeling of being
surrounded by people who truly love what they do, and love the God and people
they serve.
If you have been looking for the opportunity to re-connect
with former classmates or shake the hand of a professor who made a difference
in your life, then I invite you to join me and fellow alumni for Homecoming 2012. It will be a special occasion for remembering the past, celebrating the present,
and looking forward to the future. Please contact me at kquinlan@att.net or (512)441-6802 and I will
be happy to share the details of this exciting event coming in October. I look
forward to seeing all of you there!