Crafting A Future For Concordia

Moorhead, Minn. – Dr. William Craft has many of the traits one would expect the president of a college to have. He is highly intelligent, generous, innovative and the student body’s biggest supporter. 

Craft found his fit when he came to Concordia in July 2011. The college is immersed in a rich family tradition and he understands what that means.

Craft’s family ties, as well as his wife Anne's, are deeply rooted in the western Pennsylvania college town of New Wilmington. As is the tradition with generations of families who attend Concordia, many members of the Craft family attended Westminster College.

Craft's family background was founded in education, but his love of athletics was also formed because of his family. 

“You take it for granted as a child because it’s part of the air you breathe. College athletics were a big part of my childhood, so I just assumed that’s what college was,” he said.

Craft describes himself as a “mediocre” baseball player growing up but a slightly better basketball player. Growing up near Pittsburgh, he had big dreams of being an outfielder for the Pirates.
 
America’s pastime is something Craft holds close to his heart. In his office sits a picture frame with a photograph of his family attending a Pirates game. In the center is his grandfather donning a Pittsburgh baseball hat with Craft and his brother and father sitting beside him in Three Rivers Stadium. They all are smiling ear to ear.

When Craft was growing up, baseball was the game to play. He started off as a middle infielder because his depth perception in the outfield gave him a tendency to run toward the ball when a long fly ball came sailing his way. 

“When I was growing up, there was no soccer. I mean, we played it in the backyard, but there was no organized soccer," Craft said. "My children had more opportunities than when I was growing up and they really benefited from that.”

Craft's daughter, Meg, played field hockey, soccer and was a member of the swim team. She continued to play collegiately at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. His son, Josh, played basketball, baseball and was captain of the swim team. 

Knowing how integral athletics can be in one’s development, Craft and his wife were pleased to see the strong traditions held by programs at Concordia. 

Saturdays are busy for the Crafts. Generally there are several athletic events to attend throughout the day and often their nights are capped by attending a production from the highly touted music department. 

“It’s just plain fun,” Craft said. “It’s such a joy to us that we actually know our student-athletes and musicians. I enjoy seeing the fullness and wholeness that athletics plays in students' lives.”
 
When arriving on campus in 2011, Craft immediately began to institute change. His vision for the college is finally beginning to come full circle. The plan for the college is a pledge in which Concordia will offer an education of the whole self, for the whole of life, for the sake of the whole world. He believes athletics fits right into that equation.
 
During the last 18 months, Craft has been actively working with members of the college on the Worship, Faith and Spiritual Practice Project. The project’s intent was to map the spiritual practices and faith in the lives of students on campus. The initiative found some unexpected results.

Students have found their spiritual lives to be greatly enhanced in places like science labs as they seek to find a cure for detrimental diseases and on athletic teams as they find a shared purpose with their fellow teammates. Students have found their purpose and identity in places people wouldn’t usually consider “churchy” and that’s notable, yet delightful, information for Craft.

“These students have begun to realize they are part of a tradition that transcends themselves. And that’s what the spiritual life is about," he said. "It’s about discovering that there is a world outside yourself and you are not complete until you find your connection to it.”

Craft has never been a believer in divine intervention when it comes to the outcome in competitions. However, he does believe that sports teach you the value in investing in the lives of others because others have already invested in you.

He says another important aspect of athletics is the community involvement it generates. Many student-athletes have a strong tradition of participating in service-learning projects in the Fargo-Moorhead area and globally as well. Athletics at Concordia is a vehicle for reaching out to not only the rest of campus but to the Fargo-Moorhead community and to the whole world. 

With his spirited connection to the student body, Homecoming week is one of Craft's favorite times of the year. He leads the school cheer at the beginning of every academic year and at the Homecoming bonfire on Thursday night. 

Craft says he’s always grateful to the Cobber Nation crew for braving the elements. They stand shirtless in rain, under a blazing sun or in whiteout blizzard conditions with Concordia painted boldly in maroon and gold on their torsos.

For Craft, leading the cheer is a way of sharing school spirit with the student body and the community as well. He describes it as a ritual and everyone knows their lines. 

“There is a lot of heart within this community and a deep conviction that we know we are called to do the right thing," he says. "Everybody knows there are more important things in the world than a football game. There are more important things than a cheer. To me, this is a sign of the whole heartedness of the students here at Concordia.”

Homecoming is an inclusive week. The activities aren’t just for athletes. It’s not just for the concert choir. It’s not reserved for Cobber Nation and the athletic band. 

It’s for Concordia.



Written by Sports Information Intern Austin Hawkins