What makes Concordia great? Past, Present, and the Future of CTX

Author's Note: This article is a part of a three-part series that ties the past, present, and future of Concordia University Texas together. Including excerpts from the 1980s-90s student-run school newspaper “The Clarion,” this series will highlight the connections between the decades of Concordia and provide insights to be considered as we enter the next hundred years.

Finding A Learning and Faith Enviroment

Chris Becek, a student in the 1990s, won first place for his reflective essay on being a Concordia Lutheran College student. Before Becek committed, he said he was looking for a school that could help him grow both academically and spiritually. Just like this student in the 90s, I was also searching for a college with a faith-filled community and an educational drive.

Concordia Lutheran College was established in 1926 as a place to prepare young people to serve the church through ministry. One hundred years later, it exists as a Christ- centered university serving a diverse population.

In 2024, I toured many schools around Texas because I wanted to be close to home, but what’s now known as Concordia University Texas was the only one that felt right. I was drawn to the tight-knit, faith-filled community of people ready to learn and grow.

After beginning my freshman year at Concordia Texas in 2025, the next thing that stood out to me was the emphasis of individuality. Coming from a homeschool background, I liked that the class ratios here were small compared to other colleges in the Austin area. In that first semester filled with uncertainty and expectation, I found the care I needed to not just succeed in the academic sense, but I also received the support to express myself creatively, freely, and truly.

When Becek was searching for colleges, he was especially impressed by the Christian identity of Concordia. He didn’t want to give up his faith “in exchange for education.” He found that Concordia checked that box. Becek said that he “would need God’s guidance now more than ever” since he was entering into a new stage of life away from home, and Concordia gave him a place to encounter God at his college campus.

Currently, Concordia Texas still has maintained its foundation of Christian values. Aside from classes that allow students to study the Bible, there are many chances to encounter Christ on campus. From Chapel services three times a week to student-led praise and worship sessions at night, it’s not hard for Concordia students to find ways to strengthen their faith

While these are just a few aspects of what Concordia has to offer, these were the most important ones to me. Now that I am in my sophomore year here, I can attest that Concordia Texas is responsible for the substantial educational, spiritual, and personal growth I have undergone this past year. Considering everything, Concordia Texas was absolutely the right place for me, and I can only imagine what the future holds.

Concordia Going Forward

As Concordia Texas enters its second century as an institution, we should take care to preserve and live out these core values we have held onto for so long. As the decades continue to pass, I hope that in the next hundred years, students can look back and be proud to find the exact same sentiment Becek and I have had toward this school.

With God’s grace, may the words Becek used to conclude his essay be just as impactful for the generations ahead of me: “I can ask no more from a college than what I have found here; that is why I chose to attend Concordia.”