Concordia's Dunklau Center project recognized for economic impact

Concordia University, Nebraska's newest building, the Dunklau Center for Science, Math and Business, received the Cultivate Seward County Award for Economic Impact as a New Project Jan. 21. The award was presented by the Seward County Chamber and Development Partnership (SCCDP) during the organization’s annual membership banquet.

“The Dunklau Center for Science, Math and Business project is energizing Concordia University’s faculty, staff, students and alumni even before its completion,” said Rev. Dr. Brian Friedrich, Concordia’s president. “The generous support we’ve received thus far from the university’s donors, both alumni and friends, is propelling this project forward. When completed it will allow Concordia to provide our students with state-of-the-art learning spaces, equipment and technology that will enhance opportunities for students to pursue their vocations. The Dunklau Center further demonstrates our commitment to the Seward community and the fulfillment of our mission to equip men and women with a Christian, Lutheran higher education to serve and lead in God’s church and world.”

The Dunklau Center, a $24.5 million project, has been funded entirely by generous supporters of the university. The building is set to open late 2019, and includes 11 laboratory classrooms, two lecture halls, a greenhouse and multiple research labs within the building’s 86,000 square feet. The facility will provide collaborative spaces for students and faculty to work together in flexible, adaptive environments. Concordia’s newest program, Agricultural Science, will also be housed in the Dunklau Center.

“The Dunklau Center for Science, Math and Business was selected for this award because it is a transformational project that will impact not just Concordia and Seward County, but also the region and the state,” said Jonathan Jank, SCCDP president and CEO. “We are especially excited the Dunklau Center will house Concordia’s new Agricultural Science program, because the program will prepare the next generation of workforce who will benefit the innovative and technology-based agricultural companies that operate in Seward County. Having the Dunklau Center at Concordia will help us grow our existing businesses and will help us stand out while recruiting new agricultural and technology-based companies to Seward County.”

For more information about the Dunklau Center, visit cune.edu/dunklau.