Giving Is Supporting His Concordia 'Family'
David Wee '68
For David Wee '68, giving to Concordia is about more than just donating to his alma mater—it's about taking care of family.
After graduating from Detroit Lakes High School, David was determined to go to college and learn about life in a larger city. Having felt intimidated by the size of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area, he turned his sights to Concordia where he had an older brother and a common Lutheran heritage. The social atmosphere, friendly fellow Cobbers and on-campus employment helped to immerse David in the Concordia culture. But it was through rigorous study that he began to find his academic passions.
"I had always had a vision of pursuing a major in mathematics, and I did that," David says.
"But at Concordia I discovered my ability for learning a second language. My freshman year it was German. I loved that class and the joy of learning another language. My sophomore year it was Spanish."
David says that one of the things that he appreciates most about his time at Concordia was the freedom he had to form his own ideas about life and faith. Outside of Concordia, he spent two years in the Peace Corps, which served as an awakening to the material and educational needs of many people around the world.
Two additional years in graduate school also taught him that while there are many topics worthy of research and even more people who are eager to conduct that research, many are lacking the funding to do so. While working as a software engineer in both the United States and Europe, David saw the need for and was grateful that he had both technical and intercultural skills.
"These years reminded me of my experiences and my struggles at Concordia, the value of persevering, and the kindness of others that helped me achieve some success," David says.
"I am grateful to have had some of those skills, however small, but I know that whatever I could offer is thanks to my education at Concordia."
David credits his time at Concordia for setting the foundation for his entire academic and professional career, saying that his confidence, sense of responsibility, and faith in God and himself were all strengthened while at Concordia. But being a Cobber alum is more than just high academic standards, which is why David named Concordia as a beneficiary of his retirement accounts.
"In the autumn of my years, I have realized that I am part of a larger community and have always been a member of the Concordia family," David says.
"So it is only right and good that I give back to my family what I am able."
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