2. CTX Student
2 The Spin
Moving 1,190 miles and 17 hours
away from home can force a
college student to mature and take
on adult responsibilities a lot faster
than a traditional in-state college
student. Adam Meyer from Maple
Grove, Minnesota transferred to
CTX fall semester of 2013. Before
Concordia, Adam was a theater,
psychology, and art triple major at
Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.
What brought Adam’s interest to
Concordia was a group of friends he
had met at summer camp. The deal
maker, “Abby Woolsey was the one
who finally got me to take the dive
and move to Texas. I fell in love with
Austin and missed living in a city
since I grew up right outside of Min-
neapolis, Minnesota,” he says.
Adam is a senior and plans to
graduate this spring with a degree in
Communication and Pre Seminary
Studies. After graduation, he gets
to pursue his dream job working
as an urban missionary and church
planter in Austin. Adam quotes, “I
want to try and create a community
like one you might find at CTX, but
outside of our safety net.” Being
immersed in the culture of Austin,
he has a passion for people and
wants to continue to meet more. “
My old school was in a small farm
town in the middle of no where,
and although I had fun, there are so
many amazing opportunities all the
time in the greatest city in the world.
Besides, in Minnesota, it can easily
drop below zero five months out of
the year. In central Texas, I can go
hiking in January!”
The hardest transition from
Minnesota to Texas was not having
his parents around when it was time
to make real life decisions. “Finding
a place to repair my car, going apart-
ment shopping, paying bills, and
planning out my future would have
been a lot easier if I could have sit
down with my parents and figure it
out, but being so far from home has
helped me grow immensely in just
two years.”
When it comes to free time,
Adam finds himself playing music
around Austin, enjoying a nice drive,
listening to music, going to con-
certs, and discover new places while
spending as much time downtown
as possible. The biggest difference
from Minnesota to Texas that stood
out to Adam was realizing that meals
take longer. “I am used to just eating
and moving on to the next activity,
but here in Texas, a meal is an event,
something to be shared with each
other usually accompanied with a lot
of laughter and conversation.” Just
as Adam’s experience shows, ev-
erything happens for a reason and
taking chances in life like moving
far enough away from your home
can drive you to open up to many
new opportunities and purse your
dreams.
-Amber Holmgren
Out of State Transfers
3. The Spin 3
Patricia Fick. Her incredible
passion for Can-Do Missions,
spreading the Gospel, and helping
others certainly exhibits the incred-
ible characteristics that make her the
ambitious and accomplished woman
she is. She holds the honorable
position of director of Can-Do Mis-
sions here on campus, and puts forth
an astounding effort each year to en-
sure the mission trips she organizes
are successful. Her love for Christ
has increased in her an internal pas-
sion to help others, as well as uplift
those around her in and through
her faith. There is no denying the
incredible feats this highly respected
woman is capable of doing when she
sets her heart and mind to it.
Fick grew up on a farm in
Nebraska, and her childhood love
of animals sparked an interest to
become a veterinarian. Instead, she
found herself pursuing an educa-
tional career after graduation, even-
tually finding herself teaching the
first through the fourth grade. Later,
she and her husband became in-
volved with music tours. These drew
them to Texas where her involve-
ment in the DCE (Director of Chris-
tian Education) world introduced
Fick to her passion for mission
work. She enjoyed her role as a DCE,
because it encompasses so much va-
riety, including learning about other
cultures, on mission trips.
This deep love for missions
began with Pat’s first trip in 1997 to
Mexico. Unfortunately, she has not
been able to return to her first mis-
sion grounds. This summer she took
groups to Cambodia, Guatemala,
Ethiopia and Kenya, though she con-
siders her trip to Liberia her favorite
due to the theatre and musical style
of work her group completed.
At the beginning of the spring 2015
semester, freshman Life and Lead-
ership classes made goody bags for
Southwest Keys. When asked about
this event that Concordia fresh-
man participated in, Fick said that
Southwest Keys is “an organization
committed to helping minors who
came across the border attempting
to find their families.” These goody
bags aided in assisting, and caring,
for these minors as they continued
their strive to relocate and reunite
their families.
Can-Do Missions take many
young adults on trips around the
globe through college trips, inter-
generational trips, etc. This process
involves training the volunteers,
organizing paper work, and ensur-
ing the insurance is all in place,
considering large amount of travel
involved. Groups go out to teach
English and actively engage in music
and drama tours, as well as meet the
needs of whoever they reach. In all
her dedication to this ministry, Fick
demonstrates amazing passion and
genuine care for all those in need.
Fick says that it’s “just like volunteer
work.” The only downside to Can-Do
Missions is the financial aspect of it;
she says that “it can be pretty expen-
sive.” Asking family, friends, and
home churches for financial sup-
port is a common theme for keeping
them financially grounded, because
they have to come up with the funds
to go on the trips.
-Diamond Caro
Interview with Pat Fick
Photo by Kesia Szydlowsk
4. As college students, we are aware
of financial difficulties when it
comes to summer plans. This 2017,
when considering the most cost
effective way to spend your sum-
mer, consider cost-friendly places
to travel with your friends (or your
dogs) and go local. That being said,
in no particular order, here is a list
of the top five dog-friendly (off
leash) parks in Austin for you, your
friends and your pup to enjoy this
summer.
Shoal Creek Greenbelt:
Shoal Creek Greenbelt, lo-
cated on Shoal Creek Boulevard, of-
fers 3.25 miles of terrain stretching
from Lady Bird Lake to 38th Street.
There are trails accessible for you
and your pup that cover over a mile
of land. Allowing plenty of space for
your dog to run and play.
Onion Creek District Park:
If you are looking for a place
where you can take a swim and have
a beautiful hike, look no further.
Onion Creek District Park, located
at Onion Creek Drive, allows you
and your dog to roam its entire 170
acres of land. It is the idealistic set-
ting for a water-oriented game of
fetch. With shady hiking trails that
help beat the Texas heat, there is no
place you cannot explore at Onion
Creek District Park.
Top Five Dog-Friendly Parks in Austin
Lady Bird Lake at Auditorium
Shores:
If your dog has been well
trained and loves to socialize with
other pups, the Lady Bird Lake at
Auditorium Shores is the place
to go. With a magnificent view of
the Austin skyline, Lady Bird Lake
at Auditorium Shores is located
between South 1st Street and West
Riverside Drive (near The Long
Center). Bountiful hiking and bik-
ing trails available near the shore-
line are a perfect way to spend a
day with your friends and your pup.
University of Texas student, Colton
Becker shares, “My dog Brigley and
I come here at least once a month to
meet with a puppy training group.
It’s great because the entire prop-
erty is off leash and allows for a
more enjoyable experience for the
dogs and their owners to run around
and socialize.” Concordia student
Megan Stepp also comments, “This
is a great place to take your dog and
invite your friends to come along! It
has a beautiful view of the city and
a great place to run around”. While
this is a fantastic off-leash park, it
is also unfenced and located next
to busy streets. Keep this in mind
before you take your 3 month old
puppy.
Turkey Creek Trail at Emma
Long Metropolitan Park:
Turkey Creek Trail at Emma
Long Metropolitan Park is one of
the only nature trails in Austin that
is a complete off-leash park. Lo-
cated at City Park Road, the park of-
fers 2.5 miles of trails along Turkey
Creek and is the perfect place for an
adventure. I recently took my pup
there and I was surprised by how
many dogs were out there exploring
with their owners. There are plenty
of doggy bag dispensers located
along the trail that make your hik-
ing experience much easier. If you
do not enjoy elevation changes and
hill climbing, this may not be the
place for you, but it you are look-
ing for fun and adventurous terrain
to conquer, Turkey Creek Trail will
certainly keep you busy this sum-
mer.
Red Bud Isle:
Finally, one of my dog’s
favorite parks is Red Bud Isle,
located at Redbud Trail along Lady
Bird Lake. Red Bud Isle has 13 acres
of beautiful land that is ready for
you and your pup. Explore Lady
Bird Lake or take a hike around the
nature trail. Austin local, Shelley
Ahmadi explains, “Red Bud Isle has
always been a favorite of ours. We
have taken our dog here since he
was a puppy. He jumps in the lake,
we play fetch, my wife takes a hike
and we bring our friends to enjoy
the view. If you haven’t experienced
it yet, I would definitely recommend
it.”
There you have it, my top five dog-
friendly parks to enjoy this sum-
mer. Enjoy.
-Bailey Bomgaars
Photo by Tina Ward
4 The Spin
5. SHOUT OUT!
Go to CTXTalk.com to submit your shoutout.
“Shout out to all of this year’s freshmen and transfers! Very excited to see what this year holds and what new
opportunities lie ahead! WOOSH ‘EM!”
-Abbie Snow
“Shoutout to Daniel Foote! Congrats on getting Intramural’s Coordinator! You rock and we all know you’ll do
great things.”
-From your awesome roommates Matthew, Anthony, and Micah
“Shout out to the best summer of kayaks, zip lines, rock climbing, 4,700 campers and Jesus at Camp Eagle!”
-Angie Johnson
“Sky and Vic are the best &surprised me with spaghetti nothin like a big bowl of pasta to carb up for soccer.”
-Kaitlyn Ellis
“All home soccer games are at St. Stephens. Be there or be square.”
-Skylar Larkin
“Coconut oil is the best thing. I use it to cook with, as lotion, even as a hair product. Leave some paraben and
sulfate free conditioner in your hair and then add some coconut oil. Helps so much with my curls!”
-Victoria Herrera
“Hey 21+ crowd! Looking to meet some new people? Join our Happy Hour Group! Email Caitlin at caitlin.
alexander@ctx.edu for info! Our first HH will be Sept. 20th!”
-Caitlin Alexander
CTX as you know it is back. Have you
thought about making a change?
There are people waiting to hear
your voice and favorite music on the
radio. Anyone at CTX is welcome
to host a radio show. Contact your
radio station manager and sign
up online at http://ctxtalk.com/
showapplication.html. If you don’t
already listen to the Tornado Radio
yet, you should. We are bringing
new music and vibes this fall. All we
need is you. Tornado Radio needs
the people of Concordia to make the
station for everyone. The station
has a new schedule, music, and
shows. One of last year’s shows has
returned for a new year of “Bernie
N Friends.” More shows are hap-
pening this fall every week. After
all, how many times in school can
you jam out and “talk someone’s
ear off” without it being boring?
You can tell your boss, family and
friends to listen in at CTXtalk.com.
The Tornado Radio can be heard
worldwide. Make this fall unfor-
gettable with the good vibes on the
Tornado Radio.
-Michael Barnett
Tornado Radio
Photo by Michael Barnett
Photo by Jerry Rafael
The Spin 5
6. It’s your first college semester, the first time you are on your own and get to experience freedom away from home, so
now what? What are things you should know coming in to this whole new chapter of your life? As someone who has
graduated from Concordia, I can definitely tell you three things that you should know coming in to your first semes-
ter of college. These three things are vital for your success when it comes to college and to graduating.
Advice From a
Graduate to a
Freshmen
1.Have a plan for your classes.
By far one of the most stress-
ful things when it comes to college
is signing up for classes and know-
ing what classes you need. Every
semester you pray that you get into
the class, that its not too full, and
that you are even in the classes you
need to be. This happened to me a
few times where I did not get into
the classes I needed and placed on
a waitlist. Avoid the waitlist at all
costs and know when your registra-
tion time is. Concordia sends you
an email saying exactly what day and
time you are allowed to register for
classes; keep this information close
and plan on registering the minute
you have access to. When it comes to
knowing what classes you need, it is
important to consistently be in con-
tact with your advisor. Your advisor
is the one who well tell you exactly
what classes you need, and will help
you come up with a schedule that
works for you. Use your resources!
2.Make new friends.
What is college without mak-
ing a few mistakes with some of
your closest friends? When you get
to campus, chances are you will see
nothing but new faces. For some
people this could be terrifying, but
it is important to find a core group
of friends that you can get close with
over the next 4 years. My suggestion
is to find friends within the same
major as you. These friends come
in handy when it comes to studying
for a big test, or if you just need to
vent about a teacher or something
personal. Best place to find these
friends are through various clubs on
campus. Find a club that interests
you, and chances are you will find a
friend in that club with the same in-
terest as you. Find a connection early
so that you have a partner in crime
though this new chapter in your life.
3.Make time for yourself
As someone who has been a
full time student while working full
time, I wish someone had given me
this advice coming into college. Yes,
college will be an amazing experi-
ence, but at the same time college
will test you mentally, physically,
and emotionally. This may in fact be
the most stressful time of your life,
and the best thing to combat that, is
to make time for yourself. Occasion-
ally step back from the chaos and
do something for yourself, whether
that be going to Zilker Park with your
friends or grabbing a drink on sixth,
make time for yourself.
-Tomo Kresic
Editor-in-Chief Spring 2016
Photo by Matthew Brooks
Photo by Matthew Brooks
6 The Spin
7. When it comes to private edu-
cation versus mass degree
programs produced through that of
public universities, it is no question
there is a difference in aspects such
as tuition, class size, and budget.
Based on government funding alone,
or lack there of, it is easy to assume
that a private school’s assets are de-
rived from none other than… well,
you, the “consumer” if you will.
This being said, there has to
be a reason that in 2014, 5.5 million
people were enrolled in a private
university. (Statista) What is it then
that attracts students to private uni-
versities? When asked what attracts
students to private schools, and how
private schools prove more indi-
vidualistic, head of the CTX biol-
ogy department Donna Janes said,
“Since our class sizes are smaller,
we spend a lot more time face to face
time with the students. In a class
of 200 or 300, it can be difficult to
get into a professor’s office hours.
I spend between 20 minutes to an
hour advising each of my advisees
each semester. In a public school,
someone who is not in the field is
in charge of advising.” In regards to
the pros and cons of private colleges,
scholarships.com, powered by the
NSPA and NACAC, states “[…] each
private university creates an atmo-
sphere that is truly its own. The stu-
dents are the priority of the private
college. Instructors set the bar high
at the beginning—and keep students
jumping to meet it for the next four
years. Most strive to cultivate the
ideal atmosphere for the academic
success of their students. As a result,
their students become profoundly
capable contributors to our society.”
It has hard to argue with the fact that
private universities set a sole focus
on the education and success of its
students. In order to do so, some-
thing unique to private schools are
merit scholarships- scholarships
based off of not only academics, but
also extracurricular, athletic, and
artistic abilities. These scholarships
make it easier for a student to afford
a private education, at the same
price (or close to), that they would at
a public university.
Each teacher and administrator
works hard to create a unique and
individualized education for each
and every student. Rev. Paul Muench
agrees saying, “I believe, in general,
private universities do an excellent
job of meeting the needs of students
because if they don’t, they will go
out of existence. State run universi-
ties can lapse into doing what they
have always done and the state keeps
giving them money. Excellence is
less of a factor in their equation.”
The success of the student not only
represents their willingness to grow
and learn, but the willingness of the
professors to help them do so.
According to Pew research, almost
30% more students stayed and grad-
uate from the same private college
they started at, vs. public schools,
which only 26% of students stayed
and graduated from the same public
school. Showing that private schools
attract students, and keep them
sustained through college. To put in
some real world evidence, Boston
University statistics show that 94%
of students graduating from BU did
it in 4 years, in contrast, in 2011 at
public school University of Mas-
sachusetts Amherst, less that 70%
of students graduated in 4 years.
(UMass.edu) While not all statistics
for private and non-private schools
may follow that exact correlation, it
is clear there is a deviance between
success in private universities, and
success in public universities.
Private universities are built on the
individualistic success of its stu-
dents. Although there are reasonable
cons associated with private school-
ing, the presence of its pros such as
merit base scholarship, and tighter
student to teacher ratios combat said
cons. Quantitatively, the success of
graduates is higher in private school
university
-Kesia Szydlowsk
The Ease of Success,
Anything but Easy?
Photo by Kesia Szydlowsk
The Spin 7
8. Interning
@SXSW
Most students will have an
internship during their time
in college. Some majors even re-
quire a student to have completed
an internship for credit. There are
many companies and businesses
that offer internships throughout
Austin. Among these places is South
by Southwest, which I have been in-
terning at for nearly two semesters.
Usually when someone hears
about my internship with SXSW,
they immediately ask how I got the
internship. When I was looking for
internships, I picked a few compa-
nies I thought I would like to work
with, and then when to their web-
sites to see if they had an openings
for internships. SXSW was one of
those companies that had an open-
ing. In fact, they had lot of openings
for many different kinds of intern-
ships.
There were internships for
marketing, event planning, produc-
tion, media, as well as internships
positions for different parts of the
event (film, music, interactive), and
the list just keeps going.
If you go onto their website a month
or two months prior to the semester
you want to be interning, you can go
through the list of internships being
offered. Each listing will have an
estimated timeline for how long the
internship is, a description of what
you’ll be doing, and the skills you
should have in order to accomplish
those tasks. Instructions on how
to apply for the internship are also
included.
SXSW is a great place to
intern with, not only because of
experience that you will gain as an
intern, but also because of connec-
tions you can make. However, there
are some things you should keep in
mind before applying.
SXSW is a huge event that
takes a lot of work to put on. You
should expect to be spending a lot
of hours working for the depart-
ment you are in. Although, there are
some exceptions to this rule. If you
chose to intern during the Fall se-
mester, the work load will probably
be lighter because the event is still
several months away. On the other
hand, Spring semester will keep you
extremely busy. The week of SXSW
will also be intense, with the heavy
amount of work to do during the
event. You should expect late nights
and early mornings nearly every day
of the event.
If you are prepared for the amount of
work required, and they are offer-
ing an internship in something you
want experience in, then applying at
SXSW is definitely worth it. There is
a lot to learn from working at such a
major event, and even more people
to meet. Plus, having an event like
this on your resume will go a long
way.
Find out more about the internships
they offer at http://volunteer.sxsw.
com/internships
- Ashley Kaczmar
Photo by Jerry Rafael
Photo by Jerry Rafael Photo by Jerry Rafael
8 The Spin
9. There is always debate about whether students should
work while they are in school. Will it take too much of
my time? Will I be able to have a job that is cohesive with
my school hours? Does it even pay enough to be worth
it? According to Taylor Reddick, a full time student and
full time worker outside of class, “ Working while you are
in school can really benefit you in the future. You learn
to prioritize, and it teaches you a valuable lesson about
the value of money”. If you are looking into getting a job
while you are in college, here are a couple tips to help
you be successful at juggling both work and school.
1. Location, location, location!
There is nothing worse than getting out of class,
and having to go straight to work because of a long
commute. Finding a place to work that is near campus
resolves this issue. The more time you have in between
class and work helps you mentally get ready for the shift.
There are plenty of places near Concordia that pay great
and have flexible hours. One place I would recommend
is Steiner Ranch Steakhouse. It is right up the road from
Concordia and they mainly need people on the weekend
because these are their busiest times. Manager Rudy
Casilla says, “We are always looking to hire hostess,
busser, or servers, so if you are looking to make some
extra cash and get great experience, come in and apply.”
2. All about good balance.
When applying for jobs, make sure to make your
availability is clear up front. You want to work for a place
that can give flexible hours and the time you need for
homework. If the company does not offer that, then it
may not be the best fit for you at the moment. When it
comes to availability, make sure that the days you need
off for finals or any tests are said up front. There is noth-
ing worse than for a manager to find out you need the
week off for finals a week before finals start.
Working while you are in school is all about find-
ing that right balance. Go out and apply for jobs, if you
find that it’s too much to handle, then there is nothing
wrong with admitting that. Juggling work and school
is not for everyone; just make sure you take a stab at it
before classifying it as impossible.
-Tomo Kresic
To work, or not to work?
Photo by Amber Holmgren
The Spin 9
10. With such a competitive job
market in the world today, it is
important that for college students
to be aware of what the future holds.
One of the biggest fears of college
students, especially seniors can be
not finding a job when you gradu-
ate. There are several actions, that a
student can do to aid their ability to
compete in today’s economy.
The main way that stu-
dents can aid their job search after
graduation, while still in school is by
participating in internship oppor-
tunities. Internships provide college
students the chance to take part in
real-world activities in their field of
study. Some of these intern posi-
tion today are also paid positions so
students are able to gain valuable
experience plus the added value of
not having to find a job to make ends
meet.
According to a study con-
ducted at nearby Southwestern
University, students who reported
completing at least one internship
were 13 percent more-likely to find
full-time employment over those
that did not. Additionally, as stu-
dents completed more internships,
they improved their odds of receiv-
ing full-time employment. The
conclusion of the study was that
student who complete internships
were able to gain valuable career
contacts and experience within
their industries.
At Concordia University
Texas, we are fortunate to have
successful career profession-
als to guide us along the path to
graduation through the Center for
Vocation & Professional Develop-
ment. The goal of the Center is to
“provide a pathway to meaning-
ful work by connecting students,
alumni, and employers in ways that
facilitate person and professional
growth, and that create life-chang-
ing experiences in the exploration
and discernment of vocation.”
As a Senior in college having com-
pleted four internships, I can vouch
for their value in professional
growth and development. Intern-
ing, allows for students to take
the knowledge they learn in the
classroom and apply it outside of
the classroom. This ability to take
knowledge and apply it to something
practical is a huge asset on a resume
and can aid students in their job
search after graduation.
But in order, to obtain these
positions it is important to have a
valuable resume that showcases your
skills and value to the employer.
According to a study conducted by
TheLadders, an online job-matching
service, recruiters spend an average
of six second reviewing an individual
resume. Therefore, it is important
that we are able to put together a
concise document, that features our
skills and tell our story in six sec-
onds.
Preparing forLife AfterGraduation
10 The Spin
11. According to the Concordia’s
Center for Vocation and Professional
Development, students should begin
building their resume during their
freshman & sophomore semesters
in order to get a head start. Dur-
ing their Junior year, students are
encouraged to create their LinkedIn
profile and attend the CTXExplore
Vocation & Career Fair each Febru-
ary.
Finally, it is important that
we are able to network effectively
in small and large group situations.
Concordia offers its students an
opportunity to practice their net-
working skills through the Etiquette
Dinner and Senior Networking
Event held each November. Walk-
ing into a networking event can
be scary, but with some tips it can
become a breeze. First, in arriving
early you are able to meet the host
and instantly get connected to other
guests as a result. Second is, know
your audience, use the advantage of
technology to learn about the host
in an effort to spark conversation.
Lastly, it is important to value quality
over quantity in networking rela-
tionships. Many individuals think
of networking like speed dating and
attempt to meet as many people as
possible. Rather, consider taking the
opposite approach. Networking is
less about the number of people you
meet and more about the quality of
relationship developed. Focus on the
relationship rather than the number.
Finding an internship posi-
tion at Concordia can be done in a
number of ways. Students have the
option to seek out and find op-
portunities on their own, through
their faculty internship advisor,
or through the Center for Vocation
and Professional Development.
Furthermore, one can find oppor-
tunities online that can be found at
ctxcareerconnection.com. Students
are able to set-up an account and
activate their virtual resume where
employers can contact them regard-
ing potential opportunities, and
students are able to search for op-
portunities as well for on-campus,
part time or internship positions.
For more information regarding the
Center for Vocation and Professional
Development please contact Direc-
tor, Randa Scott at randa.scott@
concordia.edu or 512-313-5041.
-Anthony Rodriguez
The Spin 11
12. By Students
For StudentsJoin the Spin team! write articles, take pictures, host radio shows
and more. For more info email the Managing Editor at Amber.holmgren@ctx.edu.edu
The views expressed in this newspaper
do not necessarily reflect the view of
Concordia University Texas
Layout Editor - Jerry Rafael
Managing Editor - Amber Holmgren
Advertising Manager - Caitlin alexander
Cover Photo- Matthew Brooks
If you would like to purchase advertisement
space, send a letter to the
editor, or write for upcoming issues,
contact info@ctxtalk.com
CTXTALK.com
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CTX Throught the lens
Week of Welcome had many events including
some live music- Matthew Brooks
I really enjoying being back on campus surrounded by
all this greenery. -Jerry Rafael
Nursing students enjoying Week of Welcome by
handing out candy. -Matthew Brooks
Get there with this handy qr code!
