Senior Autumn Deterding plays volleyball for the Bulldogs, hopes to attend medical school

Senior Autumn Deterding of Cambridge, Nebraska, is majoring in biology and minoring in chemistry. She is also a member of the volleyball team. She said making the choice to attend Concordia Nebraska was easy. 

“I am from a small town, and I loved that Concordia provided a similar ambiance. I was excited for the opportunity to grow relationships with professors and peers in a close-knit campus community,” she said. “Concordia is brimming with people who want to see you succeed. The support of staff and faculty allows students to flourish.” 

Two of Deterding’s aunts attended Concordia Nebraska, and her parents attended University of Nebraska-Lincoln.  

“As a kid, I thought those were the only two colleges in Nebraska,” she laughed. “When I started looking at colleges, I discovered that Concordia met a great deal of criteria I was looking for in a college. When I was presented with the opportunity to play volleyball, Concordia became my top choice.” 

Deterding is pursuing a healthcare career and hopes to attend medical school. She is interested in family medicine or pathology and is also interested in policy related to healthcare and public health. She said she may consider pursuing a master's degree in public health in the future, too. 

“Concordia’s biology department provides students with incredible opportunities to prepare for their future vocations through both academic and personal development, she said. “The professors are fantastic at providing learning environments that encourage curiosity. My chemistry professors have also been essential to my academic career. They erased my self-doubt and encouraged me to pursue my passion for medicine.” 

“Concordia is brimming with people who want to see you succeed. The support of staff and faculty allows students to flourish.”

Deterding has had the opportunity to participate in two study tours with the university. 

“I went to Belize and Costa Rica through biology study tours. Belize was my first time out of the country,” she said. “These study tours have opened the doors to travel and a broader cultural exposure for me. I got to explore coral reefs in Belize and rainforest in Costa Rica. I met extraordinary people and gained a greater appreciation for God’s creation.” 

She said that throughout her time at the university, her professors have fostered her curiosity and encouraged her to follow her passions.  

“They have helped me cultivate my skills and talents. They showed me how I can merge my interests with a vocation that serves others,” she said “My professors have stretched my mind and exposed me to new ways of thinking while expanding my horizons. My advisor, Dr. Callahan, has been a wonderful resource and provided constant support!” 

Although she has taken many classes at Concordia that have deepened her understanding of human biology and other sciences that relate to healthcare, her favorite class was the dissection class. “Concordia is the only college in Nebraska that offers a cadaver dissection course for undergraduate students. This class reinforced my interest in pursuing a career in healthcare,” she said. “The skills I gained in this class will be extremely valuable as I head into graduate school. I have also gained valuable personal skills through my time on the volleyball team. My coaches have been excellent mentors that have helped me define my core values.” 

Deterding is the oldest of three girls. Her family owns a cattle operation, farms and runs a show pig business. Her mother is also a teacher at Cambridge Public Schools. Deterding and her sisters are very close, and her youngest sister has enjoyed coming to volleyball camps while Autumn has played for the Bulldogs. 

Whether in the classroom or on the volleyball court, Deterding said a focus on Jesus Christ is part of her everyday life. 

“Concordia has a unique opportunity to bring faith into the classroom. It has been interesting to see how faith can be connected to the content I am learning,” she explained. “I have also had the privilege of being on a volleyball team with incredible faith leaders. My coaches and teammates have shown me what faith can look like when incorporated into daily life. They have inspired me to show God’s love through my words and actions.” 

The biology program at Concordia University, Nebraska is a home for students who want to pursue their chosen vocation not for the sake of wealth, but for the sake of the Kingdom of God and the people He has placed here for us to serve. Classes and labs are taught by faculty with the highest degrees in the biological sciences who are committed to education and their students. Program participants earn bachelor’s degree in biology from Nebraska’s only nationally recognized Christian College of Distinction and find out how your faith can support and encourage the love of biology.