Scott F. Geminn
Concordia Class of 2004
B.A. in History
“Concordia College is a very intimate and family- oriented environment. This is a very unique thing when compared with many other colleges. You’ll receive one-on-one attention from professors and staff.”
Tell us about your graduate program. I am currently enrolled at Concordia Seminary in the Master of Divinity program, where I’m studying to become a pastor in the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
Please describe a faculty mentor(s) who most influenced you while at Concordia. In retrospect, I had the privilege of working with great faculty in the history department who significantly influenced my work habits and writing abilities. Dr. Kathryn Galchutt was an excellent professor who pushed me to work hard. Although religion was not my focus, my professors prepared me with the tools that I would need for seminary. After being in seminary for over a year I have really come to appreciate the work habits that I learned from them.
What inspired you to pursue a career in the ministry? Being a pastor was something that was always in the back of my mind since I was a kid. It really was just a gradual process. Throughout my years in high school and college I received encouragement from pastors and friends to really consider a career in the ministry. My junior year of college is when I really started to seriously consider becoming a pastor. Throughout my senior year I took some great religion classes which I really enjoyed. One class that had a huge impact on my going to seminary was Foundations of Ministry, which is a class that gives students a taste of what it is like to be a pastor. There were fieldwork requirements at Lutheran churches in the area, and for every class an LCMS pastor came in to speak about their experiences in the ministry. This experience helped to solidify my conviction of pursuing a career in the ministry.
What kinds of experiences should students pursue at Concordia to make the most of their college career? Take the time to get to know different students in your residence hall. That is where the community is and where the friendships start. It is amazing how close you grow with other students and the experiences and memories that come about from living and learning together.
What advice would you give students considering Concordia? Because of its close-knit community and connections to the city, as a new Concordia student you are given the key to a bunch of opportunities. Use that key to open as many doors to as many different experiences as you can.