LCMS schools wrap up a busy year

The monthly ‘Campus Clips’ column features short reports from LCMS day schools, universities and seminars.

Big day

Jesus Our Savior Lutheran Nursery School, Winnebago, Neb., is celebrating its 25th anniversary. As part of the celebration, on October 25, the students of Jesus Our Savior welcomed their “grandparents” (grandparents) to the school. For lunch, the students and their grandchildren had Indian tacos and flatbread. All Grands were presented with a hand crocheted quilt donated by the TLC Quilters of Trinity Lutheran Church, Algona, Iowa and a photo decorated by their grandchild. The day also included a visit from Comfort Dog Eden and the Lutheran Church Charities K-9 team from the Peace Lutheran Church in Columbus, Neb.

Christ Centered Care

Trinity Merrill Lutheran School, Merrill, Wis., opened a new childcare center on September 1st. The center accepts children from 6 weeks to 5 years of age and also offers pre-school, after-school and summer programs for school-age children. The center offers childcare in a Christ-centered environment with a spacious building and large outdoor play area.

Increased Help

Concordia University, St. Paul (CSP), St. Paul, Minn., is expanding its ongoing efforts to make higher education accessible to all. Beginning with the 2023-2024 academic year, freshman and transfer students at the CSP will have broader eligibility under the CSP’s Pell Grant Commitment and greater access to transfer-merit and diversity scholarships. The expanded grant options coincide with the 10th anniversary of CSP’s tuition reset in 2013, which transitioned the institution from a high tuition/high rebate model to a low tuition/low rebate model. Additionally, CSP is continuing its church ministry tuition guarantee of no more than $6,000 per year, reflecting the 42% increase in church ministry students at the university this fall.

New Dean

Concordia University Chicago (CUC), River Forest, Illinois., has approved the appointment of Dr. Maja Miskovic announced as Dean of CUC College of Education. Miskovic joined CUC in 2013 as Chair of the Department of Research and has served as Assistant and Acting Dean at the College of Education. She holds a PhD in Research Methodology and a Masters in Family Studies from Loyola University in Chicago and a Bachelors in Psychology from University of Novi Sad, Serbia.

‘stop the bleeding’

Concordia University Wisconsin (CUW), Mequon, Wis.She is now equipped with Stop the Bleed kits around campus. The new kits installed by CUW Campus Safety provide a way for those at the scene of an emergency to help treat injuries until first responders can arrive. Learn more.

Serve in Spanish students

Awarded by the US Department of Education’s Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) program Concordia University Irvine (CUI), Irvine, California., a $3 million grant—the largest federal grant in the university’s history. CUI’s award-winning Avanzando: Access and Success initiative will improve support services for Hispanic undergraduate students.

“We at Concordia are thrilled to receive our first-ever federal HSI grant,” said CUI Vice President Dr. Peter Senkbeil. “It will transform our campus and help us more effectively serve our Hispanic students — and all of our students… [enabling] us to … help students thrive in college and beyond.”

In fall 2019, for the first time, CUI’s student body was over 25% Hispanic—a number that continues to grow. The “Avanzando” initiative includes comprehensive strategies and hiring of new staff dedicated to increasing enrollment, early success, retention and graduation rates among Hispanic and other student groups.

New business offers

The University of Economics and Technology at Concordia University, Nebraska (CUNE), Seward, Neb., expands its bachelor’s degree courses in business administration and mathematics with six new majors. The concentrations — which include digital marketing, supply chain management, human resources management, project management, and actuarial science — are part of the Lower Cost Models for Independent Colleges Consortium, an organization that hires top-flight faculty to develop and teach online courses in high-demand programs. CUNE is also adding a new Masters program in Nonprofit Management. The program includes courses in leadership and organizational behavior, strategic management and organizational development.

Support for future teachers

Concordia University Ann Arbor (CUAA), Ann Arbor, Mich., will introduce the Lutheran Educator Support Scholarship (LESS) in fall 2023. LESS is a $3,000 renewable scholarship that supports traditional students preparing to become Lutheran teachers. It is one of two different scholarships awarded to Lutheran Teachers’ Diploma (LTD) candidates. CUAA and CUW also offer the Forward in Faith Scholarship, which can be “stacked” onto the LESS offer. Learn more.

Faith and Movies

Concordia Seminary, St. Louis (CSL), will host its 2023 Faith and Film Festival on January 26-28, 2023 at the CSL campus. During the event, attendees will discuss how themes of redemption, reconciliation, mercy and grace are portrayed in the film. Out of eight films screened at the festival, attendees can select three for breakout screenings and discussions. Continuing education credits are available. This is an adult-only, limited-capacity event. Registration is $100 and includes meals. A student price of $50 does not include meals. Learn more and register by January 12, 2023 at csl.edu/faith-and-film.

seminar attendance

Christ Academy: College, an immersive campus experience for undergraduate students considering pastoral or diaconal ministry, welcomed nearly 70 students to the campus of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne (CTSFW), 27.–30. October. Students stayed in dormitories, attended classes, and learned about the many resources available to CTSFW students. They also enjoyed fellowship with professors and students and toured Fort Wayne.

Rev. Matthew Wietfeldt, CTSFW Admissions Director, said, “This year’s Christ Academy: College program is one of our strongest programs yet. Our numbers have increased significantly, the program schedule with our faculty is excellent, and the community here is excited to engage these college students.”

Learn about other ways to visit at ctsfw.edu/ca.

Posted on December 12, 2022

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