Concordia Nebraska computer science community develops students in preparation for future vocations
Throughout the 2025-2026 academic year, the Concordia University, Nebraska computer science community participated in a variety of competitions and provided several field trip opportunities for students. Most recently, Concordia placed first in a programming competition at the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges Central Plains Conference (CCSC-CP) in Springfield, Missouri.
“Overall, the focus is on developing students’ skills, knowledge and wisdom in preparation for computing vocations,” said Marcus Gubanyi, assistant professor of computer science.
In addition to the CCSC-CP competition this spring, the group also participated in the International Collegiate Programming Competition (ICPC) and hosted the Nebraska Tech Builders Challenge in the fall. Concordia placed 26th out of 86 teams in the November ICPC.
The Tech Builders Challenge was held in Concordia Nebraska’s Cattle Conference Room in Janzow Campus Center on Sept. 19-20. The event is a Product Development/Hackathon open to high school and college age students. The objective is for students to come up with a product or invention and work with a team to create it in a 24-hour period. In addition to the competition, the event features numerous workshops and a video game tournament.
“Being a part of the computer science community has introduced me to so many aspects of software engineering that I would not have gotten otherwise. Additionally, it has provided me with close friends with similar interests, allowing me to learn with them.”
“Being a part of the computer science community has introduced me to so many aspects of software engineering that I would not have gotten otherwise,” said sophomore Calvin Gross of St. Peters, Missouri. “Additionally, it has provided me with close friends with similar interests, allowing me to learn from them.”
The computer science community offers regular meetings covering computer science and industry topics, regular one-on-one student meetings with faculty, guest speakers, field trips, practice and participation in competitions and project work to build portfolios and serve community needs.
“Part of the reason I came to Concordia was to be on this team, and it has proven to be a valuable experience in my first two years here,” said sophomore Noah Niederklein of Pittsburg, Kansas. “I look forward to what the next two years bring, both on the team and on campus as a whole.”
Students who participate in the computer science community include:
Aaron Cumming, Allen, Texas
Ashton Hays, Bozeman, Montana
Mason Lockwood, Palmer, Nebraska
Silas Curtis, Worden, Illinois
David Marin, Omaha, Nebraska
Matthew Kruse, Denver, Colorado
Calvin Gross, Saint Peters, Missouri
Noah Niederklein, Pittsburg, Kansas
Reagan Zierke, Johnston, Iowa
Lawson Fairchild, Roanoke, Indiana
Concordia University, Nebraska’s computer science program is designed to help students meet current and future challenges in technology and application-related fields. Here, students can gain a strong theoretical foundation in computer science while bolstering their practical skills with supplemental learning opportunities like internships, extracurriculars and work study experiences.
