Irvine, CA - June 6, 2025 - Concordia University Irvine staff member Lonnie Lee was recently selected as the California State Senate’s Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month Honoree for Senate District 37. Lonnie was recognized by California State Senator Steven Choi at a special ceremony on Concordia's campus on Friday, May 30, 2025.
Lonnie Lee, the director of Concordia’s Moon International Center, came to the United States from South Korea as a young girl. She has faithfully served Concordia and its students for over three decades. Much of Lonnie’s vocation has focused on recruiting, welcoming, orienting, and assisting international students during their time at Concordia. She also supervises Concordia’s study abroad opportunities for domestic students and assists with international trips led by faculty and administrators, the most recent being a two-week concert and companion tour to South Korea and Japan for music students and friends of the university.
Provost Scott Ashmon notes, “Lonnie is dedicated to caring for all of God’s people. She is committed to drawing international students to Concordia to experience the good gifts that God has in store for them through their coursework and through the people they encounter at Concordia and in the surrounding community. Lonnie has also been instrumental in connecting Concordia with international communities in Orange County and abroad. Lonnie embodies and champions Concordia’s mission and international tradition, and we congratulate her for this recognition by the California State Senate.”
About Concordia
Concordia University Irvine, a private, non-profit, Lutheran Christian university, is proud to be one of the founding institutions of higher education in Irvine, CA. For nearly 50 years, we have prepared “wise, honorable, and cultivated citizens to serve the church and society.” Today, we educate approximately 5,000 students annually as a comprehensive university, offering more than 60 degrees and awarding bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees through our on-campus and online programs, and our alumni network has grown to over 30,000 worldwide. U.S. News & World Report recently recognized Concordia as a top-ranked university for Social Mobility, and we are now federally designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution. Concordia is also the only NCAA Division II school in Orange County. Learn more about our mission, values, community, and heritage.