SEWARD, Neb. — Lauren Dawson said she once tried to avoid attending Concordia University, Nebraska, but a campus visit changed her mind after she noticed what she described as a strong sense of community.
“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,” Dawson said. “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, a 2024 graduate, earned bachelor’s degrees in English and secondary English education from the university. She said the campus community remained a defining part of her experience…