Megan Obermueller ’00 has life-long ties to Concordia Nebraska

Megan Obermueller ’00 was familiar with Concordia University, Nebraska long before she was a student at the university. In 1982, her family moved from Ft. Wayne to Seward the year she was entering kindergarten, as my father Stan Obermueller accepted a call to serve on faculty in the business department at the university.

“Living in Seward, I grew up loving everything about Concordia and was connected to the students there already at a young age,” she said. “Apologies to one particular Concordia student that befriended me when I was in elementary school as I proceeded to, in today’s terms, spam call her when they only had one landline for the whole hall in David! I still wonder and cringe at how much she was annoyed or laughs to this day at how ridiculous I was in my persistent phone calls!”

Obermueller said she has sweet memories of regularly walking over to Concordia after kindergarten at St. John to see her Grandpa Stork who was the director of student teaching at the time.

“There are a million family connections - my parents met in A Cappella! - and it has always felt like home. The close connection Concordia has always had to St. John, where I attended through eighth grade, only made it extra special,” she said. “I like to say my education was bookended by the Fialas. Mrs. Fiala was my St. John Kindergarten teacher and Dr. Fiala was one of my Concordia history professors. I suspect to this day that Dr. Fiala could still see little Kindergartener Megan when I took his classes in college, which probably mercifully saved me from receiving many of his notoriously ruthless and truthful comments on papers and tests. It takes a village - and Seward is a special one!” 

Obermueller’s two older sisters - Tasha Fingerlin ’97 and Marie Willweber '94 - also both attended Concordia Nebraska, so by the time Megan was in high school, she felt like she knew many people on campus.

“When it came time for high schoolers to determine their next steps, I really do not remember even thinking about it. It would be and always was Concordia. I’ve never regretted it!” she said.

Obermueller has a bachelor’s degree in secondary education with emphasis in Spanish and history from Concordia Nebraska as well as a master’s degree in ESL from Hamline University.

“Concordia Nebraska is like a wonderful hub of the Lutheran community. Those college years were some of the best of my life where I developed lifelong friendships - especially through A Cappella - and had wonderful professors pouring into me every day. However, my Concordia experience actually spans the majority of my life having grown up a block away from campus and already having many generational family connections,” she explained. “When I go home to visit my parents still today, I get to see so many people I love and respect because of that Concordia bond, including current and former faculty, former classmates, nieces and nephews who have attended, former students and former students who are now faculty - hi, Dr. Hannah Kroonblawd!”

Since growing up in Seward, Obermueller has now lived in Minnesota and Colorado. Concordia continues to foster connections and friendships wherever she goes, she said. Her fellow Bulldogs may be 25 years younger than she is now, but Obermueller said she still feels like they have a shared experience.

“Not surprisingly, many of my most beloved colleagues who are former Bulldogs have made their way back to Seward these past few years,” she said. “I become more grateful every year that my roots are in Seward and that it will always be home.”

 She said Concordia’s faculty were mentors and models of faith even before she was a student at Concordia including Dr. Jenny Roebke, Dr. Jerry Pfabe, Dr. Russ Moulds, Dr. Jack Kinworthy, Dr. Bruce& Creed, Dad Martens, the Fialas and others.

“Dr. Mark Meehl was a youngin’, so I didn’t grow up around him but I took his Old Testament& class. Fast forward to 2022: I prioritized a trip to Israel because I knew he was leading it,” she explained. “For those that know him, it should not be surprising at all that he took the time to see how I was doing in my personal life and was still dishing out truth to me while lounging on some chairs by the Sea of Galilee. How blessed that my Concordia experience includes being surrounded by so many faithful servants my entire life!

“Not surprisingly, many of my most beloved colleagues who are former Bulldogs have made their way back to Seward these past few years. I become more grateful every year that my roots are in Seward and that it will always be home.” 

She said that without a doubt Concordia’s professors helped her discover her purpose, and that the lessons she learned from them have become more impactful in the years since her time on campus.

“At the time I appreciated them, but I have an even greater appreciation now for how they have impacted, directed and spoken truth into my life. Their faithful, joyful and disciplined instruction not only blessed me as I received the information and wisdom, but they also helped form how I wanted to approach teaching,” she said. “Dr. Pfabe was especially instrumental in my life. I had him for both Spanish and history classes, so I saw a lot of him! He was so wonderful to me and I always knew and believed he cared for me as a person. I left his classes feeling encouraged and that I could take that next step - including doing a study abroad in Costa Rica. When I experienced extreme homesickness during that study abroad, he connected me with a Costa Rican Christian woman. She became a wonderful friend and I have even taken current students to serve at her Costa Rican ministry as recently as last year- all because Dr. Pfabe took the time to help me make that connection.”

She said Dr. Creed has played an interesting role in her professional life as well. 

“Dr. Creed saw me in a musical production at Seward high school my senior year there. I didn’t have a lead role, but he commented that I should pursue more theater,” she said. “ Because of that one encouragement, I continued to stay involved in theater at Concordia and am now an assistant director at Lutheran High in Parker, Colorado. I am not sure I would have stuck with it or had confidence to do it without him.” 

Obermueller served with LCMS World Mission in Venezuela for almost a year after college.

“Then I received a call from Concordia Academy in Roseville, Minnesota, to teach Spanish. I couldn’t imagine a better place to start teaching. That staff was my family, and I will always be grateful to the Lord that he placed me in such a faithful and beautiful community to begin my ministry. I was there for 14 years and in 2015 moved to Colorado to teach at Lutheran High in Parker. My sister Tasha lives here with her husband and four kids. It was difficult being away from family in Minnesota, so hearing the giggles and getting the hugs from my nieces and nephew in Colorado was a gift from God. Even better, I still get to serve with an incredible staff under a wonderful administration. I was so afraid to leave my school in Minnesota because I knew how great I had it there. God said ‘surprise! I have another wonderful place for you.’ LuHi, as we call it, is a special place and I have now been teaching Spanish here for eleven years.” 

Obermueller’s role includes teaching dual credit classes. The Concordia Nebraska dual credit program allows high school students to earn transferable college credits at a reduced rate. The program offers courses found in the general education requirements of most colleges and universities, meaning credits earned through Concordia Nebraska are eligible to transfer to most other colleges and universities. 

She said she loves spending time with her seven amazing nieces and nephews, which include Concordia alumni Micah Willweber ‘24 and Nora Fingerlin ‘26.

“I stay energized by spending time in or around the mountains, traveling - especially when family is involved - finding creative outlets, rooting on the Huskers, spending time with and mooching off my sister’s family who lives in Hawaii, watching Wyoming volleyball where my niece plays, helping out at the family Christmas tree farm and having movie nights or any special time with my nieces and nephews.” 

Obermueller said she simply loves her job because she is able to be creative and every day is unique.

“Even on the hard days there is never any question about purpose. If I’m not connecting with students, I’m miserable. It’s great to laugh with them, enjoy their unique personalities and also see many of them grow in their confidence in the language,” she said. “Mission trips with students are particularly rewarding because I get to see an entirely new side of them and the gifts unique to them that may not always be showcased in the classroom. Outside of my specific classroom time, I am blessed to serve alongside the staff at LuHi. They are fun, talented, faithful teachers who have become some of my best friends. One of my favorite things to do the last few years is put together a staff lip sync video during Homecoming week. Of course I love the end product, but the process of making it is so fulfilling because of the time I spend with individuals. I have gotten to know some of my colleagues better - and certainly laughed harder than ever - through that than in almost any other way. It’s absolutely ridiculous and silly, but worth it!”

Concordia University, Nebraska’s Dual Credit program offers students an opportunity to get a jump start on college, allowing them to earn college credit at a reduced cost before graduating high school. Concordia’s dual credit program offers courses found in the general education requirements of most colleges and universities, meaning credits earned through Concordia Nebraska are eligible to transfer to most other colleges and universities.