page_title: Concordia University Texas
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Concordia University Texas / History
context_page_description: Concordia University Texas is a private, coeducational institution of liberal arts and sciences located in northwest Austin, in the U.S. state of Texas. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and online degrees as well as an Adult Degree Program for part-time and returning students.
  Concordia University Texas is affiliated with the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod and is a member of the Concordia University System, the nine-member association of LCMS colleges and universities. As a Lutheran university, Concordia's stated mission is to develop Christian leaders.
context_section_description: Concordia was founded in 1926 as Lutheran Concordia College of Texas, a four-year high school that prepared young men for careers in ministry and teaching. The school opened with 26 students on its original site along East Avenue (now Interstate 35) on the then northern outskirts of Austin, Texas. In 1929, a two-story classroom building, later called the Music Building, and still later known as College Central, was built.
  Concordia was founded by members of Texas's Wendish immigrant community. The original main building, Kilian Hall, is named for the Wend John Kilian, founder of the first Texas Lutheran church associated with the LCMS and leader of a large group of Wends (also called Sorbs) who settled in the Serbin area. Today, between 10 and 15 percent of Concordia's faculty, staff and students are of Wendish heritage.
  Throughout the 1940s and 1950s many buildings were added to the campus, such as Hirschi Memorial Library in 1949 and Kramer Hall, the college's first fully air-conditioned classroom building, in 1950, but dedicated on February 25, 1951. Also in 1951, Concordia started using a two-year junior college curriculum.
  Building developments on campus continued throughout the 1950s and 1960s. The campus built its chapel, named Birkmann Memorial Chapel, in 1952. Texas Hall, which housed dining services and faculty offices was dedicated in 1953. Studtmann Hall, an all-girl's dormitory opened in 1955. The first Beto Hall on the Concordia campus was built in 1969 and housed science labs. In the early 21st century, this building was converted into the school's mail services facility.
  In 1955 Concordia admitted women as students for the first time and the institution changed its name to Concordia Lutheran College in 1965. In 1969, the four-year high school program was disbanded and Concordia's curriculum expanded to four years after receiving permission to award Bachelor of Arts degrees in 1980.
  Concordia joined the Concordia University System (CUS) in 1993. The CUS represents the ten colleges and universities run by the LCMS. In 1995, under the leadership of President Rev. Dr. David Zersen, the name of the institution was changed to Concordia University at Austin. The Accelerated Degree Program (ADP), with sites in Austin, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio, within the College of Adult Education, was launched in 1995 to offer working adults the opportunity to earn a degree. Harms Hall, a dormitory, opened in January 2000 more than doubling campus resident capacity. The first Graduate program was developed during this period.
  In 2002, Dr. Thomas E. Cedel, a former fighter pilot and colonel in the United States Air Force was named president of the university.
  In 2007, Concordia University at Austin changed its name to Concordia University Texas.
  In August 2008, Concordia University relocated its primary campus, moving onto more than 389 acres (157 ha) in Northwest Austin. The city of Austin allowed the demolition of the former campus. A developer bought the space with plans to construct a mixed-use development; however, the developer filed for bankruptcy in 2011.
  The new campus was dedicated on October 26, 2008.
caption: Historic Kilian Hall
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