Lauren Dawson ’24 enjoys serving others in teaching role in North Africa

Lauren Dawson ’24 said that at one point in time, she was vehemently opposed to the idea of attending Concordia University, Nebraska. 

“I tried my best to avoid Concordia Nebraska. My older brother came the year before I did, so like any good rebellious sibling, I visited every other college on my list before this one,” she admitted. “But upon visiting Concordia, I noticed a different atmosphere. Rather than walking alone or on their phones, people walked with friends, joked around and greeted me and asked questions. There was a strong community at Concordia Nebraska that I could feel even in a short visit. That combined with a strong education program and the opportunity to compete in sports sealed the deal for me.” 

Dawson has bachelor’s degrees in English and secondary English education from the university. She said that the sense of community on campus is very strong and that she was blessed to be a part of several close-knit groups on campus.  

“The best part of my Concordia experience was the communities it allowed me to join. I got to run cross country and track and be part of the Luke Scholars program,” she said. “These, along with my course of study, let me get to know some amazing people. I loved learning from, growing alongside and doing life with them.” 

She said her professors were incredibly supportive and encouraging during her time on campus. 

“My professors were amazingly personable, and that was a great help to me. I gained knowledge in my classes, but most of the purpose I gained at Concordia happened in someone’s office,” she said. “Being able to sit down with my professors and hear their thoughts on purpose, as well as their stories, beliefs and philosophies was incredibly helpful in discerning my own.” 

Dawson was part of university’s Luke Scholars honors program, which is open to all students with any educational background. Participating students are selected via application, and about 15 to 20 new students are admitted annually.  

“The Luke Scholars program had an invaluable effect on my college experience and current work. Firstly, it gave me a circle of peers. These were people with different opinions and experiences than me, of course, but we shared a similar propensity for philosophy, for seeking truth, for bad puns and for determining what really mattered in the world and how that related to what we were learning,” she said. “This circle made my time in college richer and deeper, and several of the Luke Scholars have become my lifelong friends. Secondly, the program taught me the value of inquiry. The skill of wonder and of asking questions has led me to be a better problem solver in my current work, and I’ve seen some valuable improvements come from asking ‘why?’ and ‘what if?’”  

Dawson currently serves as an English teacher in a Muslim country. She said her time at Concordia Nebraska prepared her well for this experience, deepening her faith and providing an outstanding education that allows her to serve others. 

“The strengthening of faith that happened at Concordia prepared me well for an environment where my faith would be questioned and contradicted. Additionally, the university has a strong teacher education program, and the skills and classroom experiences I had in college inform the teaching decisions I now make daily.” She said. “I came in with a fair amount of ‘head knowledge’ concerning faith, and my Concordia experience helped deepen that into something more meaningful and less like an intellectual exercise. I had a lot of freedom to ask questions in my classes, even challenging ones, and my professors responded well. Also, the sheer amount of resources made faith development hard to avoid. Between chapels, local churches and an abundance of professors and pastors knowledgeable about the overlap between faith and life, there was always someone to push me in the right direction.”  

“There was a strong community at Concordia Nebraska that I could feel even in a short visit. That combined with a strong education program and the opportunity to compete in sports sealed the deal for me.”

With degrees in English and English education, Dawson said there were a number of possible career paths open to her following graduation including teaching and journalism. 

“I knew at graduation that I didn’t want a traditional teaching job but did want to teach in some capacity, and so for the last year and a half I’ve been teaching through a Christian nonprofit at a refugee shelter in North Africa,” she said. “Last year I taught English at a refugee shelter, and that job included a lot of ‘teachery’ skills: lesson planning, assessment, getting to know students and being a nerd about all things grammar. This year, I’m in the same teaching assignment but have taken on more leadership. I still teach, but am also involved in curriculum selection and planning, administrative tasks and leading a group of new teachers as they begin working at the shelter alongside me. However, both last year and this year, teaching has been a secondary task. I work with people who have difficult stories and backgrounds, and the part of my job that I love the most is getting to know them and making them smile.”  

Dawson said her days are busy and full and no two days ever look the same, but she spends a lot of time teaching, lesson planning, studying Arabic and hanging out with both American friends and local friends. She often unwinds in the evening by reading or playing the piano.  

“Outside of work, I enjoy reading and writing, and I also dabble in drawing so the chances of catching me at a coffee shop with a book or sketchbook are quite high!” she said. “If I’m not there, I’m probably sitting at a piano, out for a run or watching a terribly repetitive crime show. Finally, I love to learn! Though my degree is in English and education, I love science, music and theology as well, and I enjoy spending time in books or articles about my other academic interests.” 

Dawson’s parents are from Missouri, but they have lived in Iowa since Dawson was born.  

“My dad is an engineer and can build anything you could dream up. My mom is a preschool teacher and shares my love of language. We can play a mean game of Scrabble! I’m the second of their four children,” she said.“My older brother Owen ‘23 attended Concordia Nebraska with me and is now continuing his studies at Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne. My younger brother Isaac attended a couple of years at the university as well and is now enjoying exploring Colorado, and my younger sister is finishing up high school. On the whole, my family is kind, witty and Christ-centered, and I’m excited to see where we all end up!”  

Although her days are long and full of hard work, Dawson said she feels blessed to serve in her current role. 

“I love how my work makes an impact on people. Teaching English seems like such a small thing but to my students who are refugees seeking asylum in English-speaking countries, it makes a huge difference. It gives them something to do while they wait in North Africa and helps them feel a little less lost when they arrive at their destination,” she explained. “I also love the element of service. I work for a nonprofit and serve people who could not pay for English courses. I get to work with a population most of the world will never interact with, and I’m blessed and privileged to know these students - some of the kindest, most hopeful and most hardworking people I’ve ever met.”  

Luke Scholars are disciplined and motivated students who are willing to challenge themselves intellectually to enhance their lives and serve others through their vocations. Luke Scholars receive notable tangible benefits, including complimentary Luke Scholars course materials, access to the Luke Scholars library, tuition waivers for course overloads, funds to support research, supplemental study travel stipends and recognition for being a Luke Scholar on transcripts. All students who have been admitted to Concordia are invited to apply to be a part of Luke Scholars. An application, two letters of recommendation from teachers and, if selected, an interview are part of the application process. Once students have been admitted to Concordia, they may submit an application via email to LukeScholars@cune.edu.