Culture of Connectedness

Mark Huneke '18, Hastings, Minn.
Major: Finance

Mark Huneke ’18 studies finance at Concordia, taking most of his classes in the Offutt School of Business. Housed in Grant Center, Concordia’s business school strives to combine coursework with real-world opportunities. Huneke mentioned the new finance lab, where students get hands-on training with real trading systems.

“It’s very helpful,” he says. “We have some software that other schools can’t even get.”

Along with the access to top-notch software and real-world experiences, Huneke says the faculty in the Offutt School of Business are part of what make it great. With a low student-to-faculty ratio, it’s easy to make connections.

“Chris Mason, who is the head finance professor and my advisor, is unbelievable,” Huneke says. “I also like the small class sizes because the professors get to know you.”

Huneke has kept busy during his time at Concordia. He participated in golf his first three years and he has played hockey all four years. He is also a member of the Offutt School Leadership Organization and serves on the Student Athletic Advisory Committee, acting as a liaison between his team and Concordia Athletics.

“I like being in SAAC because it’s based on service and giving back to not only the campus community but also to the Fargo-Moorhead area,” he says. “Doing service work is one of the things Concordia teaches you very early in your college career.”

Huneke and several of his hockey teammates volunteer at Sanford Children’s Hospital on Sundays. They spend time with kids at Culley’s Cabin, the new hockey-themed play area for children staying at the hospital.

“Concordia really encourages service – beyond what you learn inside the classroom,” he says.

In addition to an appreciation for service, Huneke says communication and time management are two important skills he has learned at Concordia that help him make connections and balance his busy schedule.

The bulk of Huneke’s time is spent playing hockey. With practices Monday through Thursday and games on Fridays and Saturdays, he spends a lot of time with his teammates.

“What I love most is definitely our team culture and the way we go about things,” he says. “We’re a huge family. You can talk to anybody on our team about anything. We all look out for each other.”

Huneke values the relationships he has made through hockey at Concordia and appreciates the atmosphere created by his coach, Chris Howe. Howe started at Concordia in 2008 and became one of only three Concordia men’s hockey coaches in the past 40 years. Huneke says Howe can get the players to give their full potential at every practice.

“He’s one of the most positive people I’ve met in my entire life,” Huneke says. “He’s very passionate about what he does. He cares about us as people and not just as hockey players.”

Hockey is a big part of Huneke’s college experience and one that he wouldn’t give up for anything. And whether he’s on the ice or walking to class, he knows he’s supported by the Concordia community.

“Your peers, friends, and even professors come to your games and ask you about your games when you see them on campus,” he says. “The faculty care about your life outside of the classroom, which is a nice feeling.”

For Huneke, Concordia means more than his finance classes or hockey games. The connections he’s made with his classmates, professors, teammates, and coaches are what make Concordia home.

“This place is going to give you more than just an education. It’s going to give you relationships that won’t pull apart because you become such good friends with kids from the very first day you step on campus,” he says. “I’m not saying other schools don’t have that, but there’s just something about it here that makes it special.”