Frida Nilsen

Frida Nilsen  (b.1894 – d.1978) 

  • English Professor 1929-1962

  • Dean of Women 1930-1939

Biography

Frida Nilsen joined Concordia’s faculty in 1929 as an Associate Professor of English. Previously, Nilsen had been a missionary serving as principal of a girls’ school in Honan, China. Her education included a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from St. Olaf College and a master’s degree in education from the University of North Dakota. She also studied zoology at the University of Minnesota and Chinese at the International Language School in Peking.

At Concordia, Nilsen was known for being both strict and encouraging with students. Her varied interests and talents led her to be a role-model for many Cobbers. She provided student scholarships, tutored foreign students in English, and often opened her home to displaced students during the holidays. While serving as dean of women, Nilsen was instrumental in the planning of Fjelstad Hall. She also introduced changes in the women’s dormitory government and increased social standards. In 1938, Nilsen established the Concordia Museum; and upon her retirement in 1962, the lounge in Fjelstad Hall was renamed “Frida Nilsen Lounge.”