Senior Nora Fingerlin is studying biochemistry at Concordia Nebraska, looks forward to physician assistant school

Senior Nora Fingerlin of Parker, Colorado, is studying biochemistry at Concordia University, Nebraska. She is a member of the athletic training team at the university and was previously involved in the university’s Luke Scholars honors program. 

“I got involved [with athletic training] my freshman year while exploring what I wanted to do in the future, and it is still teaching me new skills to take with me after I graduate. I am also a lab assistant for both the biology and chemistry departments. This has been a great opportunity to stay immersed in my favorite subjects while assisting my professors and peers,” she said. “And I am so grateful for how I was challenged to think differently and create new perspectives from what I learned in Luke Scholars. I know the skills I have learned here carry far outside the classroom.” 

Fingerlin chose Concordia Nebraska because she wanted a Christ-centered education at a university that featured a supportive and close-knit community. Her grandparents – Dr. Stanley Obermueller ’68 and Elizabeth (Stork) Obermueller ’67 - are alumni and live in Seward. Stanley served as a business administration professor at the university for more than 30 years.  Nora’s parents Daniel Fingerlin ’93 and Tasha (Obermueller) Fingerlin ’97 also attended the university.  

“I knew I wanted to attend a college that was Christ-centered. This was important to me. I’ve been surrounded by Concordia culture my whole life, and I knew that I would be in a Christ-centered community that valued my education while also valuing who I was becoming as a person,” she explained. “I had many trusted voices in my life speak to the quality of Concordia, and I knew I couldn’t go wrong with this decision.” 

She said the people at Concordia Nebraska make the university a special place. 

“I would say the people here, both students and the staff, are what set Concordia apart. You have an administration focused on serving Christ by serving its students and they all genuinely love what they do. You have a student body that wanted to attend a school that advertised their Christian values and the culture reflects that,” she said. “The biggest boon Concordia has to offer to its students is its professors and connections. The curriculum itself holds up against top universities. It's not the curriculum but the way it is taught that has made all the difference for me. The professors at Concordia love what they do and genuinely want to see you succeed. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone in to talk with my professors unannounced, and they’ve always been ready to help me. I wouldn’t be on the path that I am without them.” 

“The professors at Concordia love what they do and genuinely want to see you succeed. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone in to talk with my professors unannounced, and they’ve always been ready to help me. I wouldn’t be on the path that I am without them.”

Nora said Concordia Nebraska features a wonderful blend of Nebraska culture and Christian culture that’s very different than her home state of Colorado, but is one of the many things she treasures about her Concordia experience. 

“I’m not from Nebraska, so I can tell you that there is definitely a difference here compared to where I am from,” she said . “Everyone is genuinely so nice and down to earth, and I’ve loved getting to be a part of a small-town community.”  

Nora’s mom Tasha serves as the vice chair of the department of immunology and genomic medicine at National Jewish Health in Colorado. Her father Daniel was an elementary and pre-school teacher for a number of years. “He started staying home with me and eventually started teaching my younger siblings,” explained Nora. “My sister, Rya, is a sophomore playing volleyball at the University of Wyoming. My brother, Nolan, is a junior at Lutheran High School in Parker, Colorado, and my youngest sister, Lola, is in eighth grade.”  

A fun fact about Nora: she loves working in coffee shops. “I worked at one in my hometown, and this summer I got to work at Neutral Grounds in Seward,” she said.  

When she’s not in class or working, Nora enjoys spending time outside with the people she loves or hiking.  She has also recently started exploring pottery as a hobby due to the influence of her talented roommate, she said. 

She said her professors offered invaluable support through ups and downs and questions about her future. 

“It took me a long time to settle on a career path, and they were never visibly thrown when I would come in with a new career idea every semester. I’m grateful for professors who have a high standard of excellence, so that when they tell me I can succeed, I know I can trust their evaluation. They’ve given me a lot of confidence in the path I’ve chosen.”  

Nora plans to attend physician assistant school after graduation. She said her overall Concordia experience and specifically the Luke Scholars program have prepared her academically and shown her the kind of healthcare provider she wants to be to be.  

“The people I’ve met have taught me what loving like Jesus looks like in a way that I want to live out in my career and in every other aspect of my life,” she said. “I’ve always known that whatever I’d end up doing in the future, I had to be serving people in a way that left a direct impact. Science has always been my area, and I love working with people, so this career was a natural choice for me.” 

She said her time at the university has strengthened and developed her faith in Jesus Christ. 

“There are so many opportunities to speak about your faith, connect with others or seek out learning more both in classroom and conversation. We have Bible studies, worship services and service opportunities in whatever aspect you’re drawn to!” she explained.  

Biochemistry at Concordia University, Nebraska blends biology and chemistry by using molecular principles to investigate essential processes in living systems. Students receive a broad background in the natural sciences that prepares them for a variety of post-graduation options, including research positions and graduate studies in biochemistry, professional health disciplines, biotechnology and the chemical and material sciences industries.