In 1955, Dr. Victor Behnken, then president of the Pacific Southwest District of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, proposed the creation of a preparatory college for the Pacific Southwest. In 1962, the LCMS agreed to build the school. A search committee commissioned by the district considered 87 sites before commercial and residential real estate developer The Irvine Company offered the present location in Irvine. In 1973, Rev. Dr. Charles Manske accepted the call from the district to be the founding president of the school, which was originally named Christ College Irvine. In February 1993, the Board of Regents of Christ College Irvine voted to change the school's name to Concordia University Irvine. At that time, the university became the tenth campus in the national Concordia University System. In addition to the Concordia University System, the LCMS and its congregations also operate two seminaries, 130 high schools, and more than 900 elementary schools, making it the second largest church-operated school system in the United States.
Academics
The university currently includes five schools: Christ College, School of Arts and Sciences, School of Business, School of Education, and School of Professional Studies; and offers 20 undergraduate majors and 50 specializations, nine graduate programs, four adult bachelor's degree completion programs, and three nursing programs. In 2014, Concordia University Irvine added its first doctoral program, Educational Leadership.
Campus
The campus is located south of Los Angeles, north of San Diego, and inland from the Pacific Ocean in the city of Irvine. Irvine is a planned community which is rated one of the safest cities of its size in the United States. The campus rests on a plateau overlooking Orange County in a private residential community surrounded by wildlife and hiking trails. The offices of the School of Professional Studies - Adult Degree Programs, M.A. International Studies, and the Masters in Coaching and Athletic Administration teams moved to an offsite location in Irvine.
Athletics
Concordia University Irvine athletics teams are members of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Primarily competing in the NCAA Division IIPacific West Conference, men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, volleyball, water polo, and lacrosse; women's teams include softball, basketball, cross country, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, volleyball, water polo, lacrosse, and cheer. The university was previously a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics from 1981 to 2015. During that time, Concordia University Irvine earned 7 NAIA Team National Championships and 25 NAIA Individual National Championships. In addition to the NAIA championships, Concordia University Irvine won 26 Golden State Athletic Conference Regular-Season Championships and 13 GSAC Tournament Championships.
Rankings
In U.S. News & World Reports 2013 rankings of the best colleges in America, Concordia University Irvine is listed as 63rd in the Western region. In 2016, the university earned a ranking of 55 among regional universities in the Western U.S. In 2015, The Chronicle of Higher Education ranked Concordia University Irvine as one of the fastest-growing private nonprofit master's universities in its 2015-2016 edition of Almanac of Higher Education, noting that the university grew over a 10-year period. Also in 2015, Money magazine included Concordia University Irvine in a list of schools "that provide the best value for your tuition dollar."
Notable alumni and faculty
Cameron Gliddon – professional basketball player in Australia
