Lutheran College Conference Keynote and Sectional Information

 

Monday, August 7, 2017

Keynote One: E. Allen Sorum (WLS) – Modeling Mission Leadership in our Lutheran Schools

• As teachers and administrators in our Lutheran institutions of higher learning, our aim is higher than preparing future leaders for this world and God’s church. We want to fill these young hearts with the gospel and to create in them a restlessness for sharing that gospel. Together we will reflect on and discuss tactics, approaches, and attitudes that will challenge us to inspire and equip bold witnesses for these Last Days.
• Professor Sorum teaches New Testament, Pastoral Leadership, and Missiology and serves as the director of the Pastoral Studies Institute. He has served at the seminary since 2004. From 1983 to June of 2004, Sorum served as pastor of Garden Homes Ev. Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, WI.

Sectional 1 (11:10-12:00)

• C. Whaley (MLC)-Correctly Assessing Students-A Blessing for Them but a Challenge for Educators?
  • What is the primary purpose of assessment? This sectional will explore assessment, grading, evaluation, and feedback. Successful implementation of these terms across all disciplines on your campus would be an expected outcome. A variety of assessments will also be modeled.

• C. Pfeifer (BLC)-Success for the At-Risk College Student
  • During this presentation, strategies for supporting students that are at risk will be explored.  Dr. Carrie Pfeifer will describe Bethany Lutheran College’s Academic Resource Center (ARC) programs.  These programs cover disability services, study skills strengthening, and one on one advising that has proven successful as seen in the 75%+ relation rate of conditionally admitted and probation students-an improvement in retention by over 45% from previous years.

• J. Carlovsky (MLC)-What Can I Reasonably do with Technology in My Classroom?
  • Do you feel that there are a wealth of technology tools in your classroom, but you are not sure which are more effective than others?  Does technology really enhance learning or engagement in the classroom?  While this presentation will touch on the theory of technology in education, the majority of the session will be used to give you options that you could reasonably use next school year.  Some, but not all of the possible topics include screencasting, collaboration, and personal productivity.

• Paul Burmeister (WLC)-What Does Advising Look Like; What Should It Look Like?  
  • This session includes an overview of advising operations at the three colleges, an overview of practices related to Gen Ed and undeclared advising, a brief look at advising for professional programs and for diversity, and advising in view of change.

 

• R. MacPherson (BLC)-The Lutheran Doctrine Vocation:Mentoring Students for Life beyond the Classroom
  • Five hundred years ago, the Lutheran Reformation offered unique insights concerning the “doctrine of vocation,” that is, how our stations in life serve as channels of God’s blessings to the people around us. Distinct from both the Roman Catholic limitation of “vocation” to ecclesiastical orders and the Reformed emphasis on the “Protestant work ethic,” the Lutheran doctrine of vocation is as much for laity as it is for clergy, and as much about Gospel as it is about Law. Each of us has distinctive vocations in the family, in the church, and in the broader society. Our Lutheran colleges and seminaries make important contributions in preparing students for each of those “three estates.” This session will explore how a Lutheran perspective on vocation shapes teaching and advising at our schools. Participants are encouraged to continue the discussion on their own campuses by employing the presenter’s four-part Bible study, entitled “Discovering Your Vocations in the Family, Church, and Society” (free download at www.hausvater.org/bible-studies/328).

• T. Nass (MLC)-Reading the Old Testament as Lutherans
  • Christians throughout the ages have wondered what to do with the Old Testament. Some have discarded it, and others make much of it as a document that teaches God’s abiding commitment to the Jewish people. This essay examines Luther’s perspective on the Old Testament as a man who, in modern categories, was a Professor of Old Testament at Wittenberg. The essay argues that Luther’s viewpoint is in harmony with the New Testament, and it ought to be continued by Lutherans today. The essay is a chapter that has been written for the forthcoming Concordia Commentary on the book of Joel.

Sectional 2 (1:00-1:50)

• C. Whaley (MLC)-Correctly Assessing Students-A Blessing for Them but a Challenge for Educators?
  • What is the primary purpose of assessment? This sectional will explore assessment, grading, evaluation, and feedback. Successful implementation of these terms across all disciplines on your campus would be an expected outcome. A variety of assessments will also be modeled.

• C. Pfeifer (BLC)-Success for the At-Risk College Student
  • During this presentation, strategies for supporting students that are at risk will be explored.  Dr. Carrie Pfeifer will describe Bethany Lutheran College’s Academic Resource Center (ARC) programs.  These programs cover disability services, study skills strengthening, and one on one advising that has proven successful as seen in the 75%+ relation rate of conditionally admitted and probation students-an improvement in retention by over 45% from previous years.

• J. Carlovsky (MLC)-What Can I Reasonably do with Technology in My Classroom?
  • Do you feel that there are a wealth of technology tools in your classroom, but you are not sure which are more effective than others?  Does technology really enhance learning or engagement in the classroom?  While this presentation will touch on the theory of technology in education, the majority of the session will be used to give you options that you could reasonably use next school year.  Some, but not all of the possible topics include screencasting, collaboration, and personal productivity.

• Paul Burmeister (WLC)-What Does Advising Look Like; What Should It Look Like?  
  • This session includes an overview of advising operations at the three colleges, an overview of practices related to Gen Ed and undeclared advising, a brief look at advising for professional programs and for diversity, and advising in view of change.

 

• R. Anderson (WLC)-Aquaponics as an Outreach Tool in Grenada, Zambia and Malawi
  • Throughout Jesus’s ministry on earth he fed, healed and advised people as he carried out His work of salvation. As Christians today we demonstrate Christ’s love through sharing the Good News and assisting one another. Through funding made available by the Gary Greenfield Christian Leadership Chair at WLC, a method of raising fish and vegetables in a single sustainable system (aquaponics) is being shared with mission congregations as a tool to reach out and help their communities. Pilot systems have been established by WLC students and professors in Grenada, Malawi and Zambia. Grace Lutheran Church in Grenada is using their system as a teaching tool for their grade school children. Grace is also establishing a government certified aquaponics training center on their campus as a community outreach tool. The Lutheran Church of Central Africa – Malawi is using a pilot aquaponics system as a teaching tool at their Bible Institute. A pilot system on the LCCA Seminary Campus in Lusaka, Zambia will be used by the Lutheran Health and Development Program to assist local Zambian communities. Blessings and challenges associated with this type of outreach will be addressed through this presentation. Insights from Robert Lupton’s “Toxic Charity” and “Charity Detox” will be explored in the context of these outreach examples. Input from the audience will be encouraged to help in the continued development of this program.

• J. Pless-People of Pompeii: Volcano, Venue, Victims
  • The “People of Pompeii: Volcano, Venue, Victims” will be a forty-five-minute presentation on the A.D. 79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius, near Naples, Italy. This eruption buried the city of Pompeii and the surrounding area under layers of volcanic ash and debris. The excavated remains of Pompeii and its environs are the most remarkable Greco-Roman sites in the world in regard to providing insights about the material and social culture, livelihoods, and lifestyles of first-century Roman society. The first portion of this presentation will take attendees on a tour of the summit of Mount Vesuvius. They will then view time-lapsed recreations of that fateful August day and learn about the sequence of events, a catastrophe which took the lives of two thousand people and possibly many more. A walk-through of some of the excavated buildings and streets of Pompeii will then be conducted, along with insights given about daily life. Finally, a significant amount of time will be devoted to the people of Pompeii, as numerous victims are viewed in the final moments of their lives in the forms of plaster casts and skeletal remains. This presentation by Dr. Joel L. Pless was initiated on a tour of Italy during a semester-long sabbatical. His time there and his visit to Pompeii were in preparation for co-leading a study tour of Malta, Sicily, and Italy in January 2018: “Paul’s Journey to Rome.”

Sectional 3 (2:00-2:50)

• T. Hunter (MLC)-ISs, DACAs, TCKs and ELLs:  Welcome to our campus! But now what?
  • We all have them, but who are they and how do we meet their needs?  An interactive session (1) to create a better understanding of the blessings and challenges that students from other languages and cultures bring to our campuses and (2) to explore the overall preparedness of faculty to engage them in meaningful ways.  While ISs (International Students), DACAs, TCKs (Third Culture Kids), and ELLs (English Language Learners) are different in some ways, they also share many of the same hurdles.

• R. Wolle (WLC)-Keys to College Persistence: What can Professors of first year students do to increase persistence?
  • Approximately 75% of students who leave college early do so in their first two years, with the majority departing during or directly after their first year of college (Braunstein & McGrath, 1997; Tinto, 1993). This interactive workshop will discuss why the first year of college is a crucial time for risk of departure and more importantly, as faculty at small Christian institutions, what can we do to encourage persistence to graduation. It will include educational dynamics/challenges of social media and technology as well as provide opportunity for discussion and personal application of material.
  • Objectives:
    • Develop an understanding for why the first year is a ‘perfect storm’ for multiple challenges.
    • Understand that as small, Christian institutions we have a unique opportunity to create meaningful relationships with our students.
    • Develop a plan for faculty to understand their role in persistence.

• S. Finnigan/N. Farley (WLC)-Responding to a More Diverse Student Population in the Classroom
  • As our campuses become more diverse, and as American society is grappling with the increasing visibility of diverse groups, it becomes necessary to consider how we might most effectively address these changing landscapes in the classroom. Diversity refers to more than race, class, and gender. It includes other “invisible” differences like political affiliation, religious background (denominational and non-Christian), age, and education. Each of these differences contribute to the classroom environment since they directly inform the way students and faculty respond to course material and discussion. Thus, it becomes increasingly important to consider what kinds of diversities each of the LCC campuses both have and do not have. At the same time, it is necessary for faculty to establish methods for reaching students with various backgrounds while preparing all students for engagement with diverse groups and individuals in their post-collegiate vocations and ministries.
  • Consequently, in this panel we propose to address through descriptive and pedagogical papers the following questions: how can we engage students in material that addresses diversity, encourage active and productive participation in “difficult” discussions, and create an environment that welcomes diversity while remaining true to our missions of faithfulness to the Scriptures and to the Lutheran Confessions? We will discuss the nature of “corporate culture,” or the shared belief and behavioral structures of a group, and modes for addressing diversity in those contexts while applying these concepts to classroom pedagogy. Accordingly, we hope to generate broad engagement with diversity on WELS/ELS campuses and in our communities.

• P. Bloedel (BLC)-Deception, Suggestion and Influence: A Lutheran’s Guide to Navigating the Truth in an Entertainment Culture.
  • Can deception exist even if the deceiver thinks that he/she is telling the truth? Today it is more important than ever to identify and discuss the hidden deceptions and suggestions woven into the fabric of modern culture that can instill false “truths” and beliefs in our students, or even in ourselves. We live in a world where mixed, or covert, messages in popular entertainment are blitzed at us faster than we even know how to process them. This presentation explores elements of dramatic/entertainment theory and application, to help identify common elements that make “the power of suggestion” work.

• J. Stadler, S. Edwards, A. Kruger, and L. Fricke. [Panel] (BLC)-Uniquely Blessed and Challenged: The Value (and Pitfalls) of Cross-Cultural Outreach, Dialogue, and Understanding
  • In spring 2017, the Chair of the Bethany Faculty Assembly organized a leadership symposium for department representatives, reading “Crossing Cultures in Scripture: Biblical Principles for Mission Practice” by Marvin J. Newell as a way to spark discussion about cross-cultural issues. The goal was to reflect on how we could apply its lessons to our vocation as Christian college professors serving an increasingly diverse student body as we prepare students to function in a diverse set of cultures after graduation. This round table discussion will focus on the lessons we learned, the potential pitfalls and roadblocks we identified, and strategies for moving forward in engaging in cross-cultural development of our students to fully equip them for their vocations after graduation. Throughout this discussion, the reason for focusing on cross-cultural understanding and appreciation will be grounded in the Greatest Commandments and the Great Commission.

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Keynote Two: Dr. Bowen Loftin – “Educated in all . . . wisdom . . ..” (Acts 7:22)

• In keeping with the theme of this year’s Lutheran College Conference (Our Lutheran Colleges—Uniquely Blessed and Challenged), we will reinforce the focus of our colleges while noting that headwinds are strengthening that both raise hurdles and also provide opportunities for the future. In particular, three areas of significant opportunities will be discussed: (1) growing the diversity of our student and faculty populations to support the mission of the WELS, (2) harnessing technology to enable us to reach more students more effectively, and (3) recognizing and celebrating the role of the liberal arts in preparing graduates for the ever-changing landscape of our future as a church body and their futures as Christian leaders.

2015. Bowen Loftin holds a B.S. in physics from Texas A&M University (1970) and an M.A. and a Ph.D. in physics from Rice University (1973, 1975). He is Professor of Physics and Computer Science at the University of Missouri where he served as Chancellor from February, 2014 to November, 2015. In February, 2010 he became the 24 th President of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas where he was also Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering. From June, 2009 to February, 2010.

From 2000 to 2005 he was at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia as Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and of Computer Science. In addition, Dr. Loftin was Old Dominion University’s Director of Simulation Programs with responsibility for the university’s graduate programs in modeling and simulation and Executive Director of the Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center. Before coming to Old Dominion University, he was Professor in and Chair of the Department of Computer Science and Director of the NASA Virtual Environments Research Institute at the University of Houston. Dr. Loftin’s awards include the University of Houston-Downtown Awards for Excellence in Teaching and in Service (twice), the American Association of Artificial Intelligence Award for an Innovative Application of Artificial Intelligence, NASA’s Space Act Award, the NASA Public Service Medal, the 1995 NASA Invention of the Year Award, and the IEEE Virtual Reality Conference Career Award. He is the author or co-author of more than one hundred technical publications, including a personal memoir, The 100-Year Decision: Texas A&M and the SEC.

Bowen is a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Columbia, MO. He is also a member of the Board of Regents of Wisconsin Lutheran College and served for over seventeen years on the WELS Board for Ministerial Education (and its precursor, the WELS Board for Worker Training).

Section 4 (9:40-10:30)

• T. Hunter (MLC)-ISs, DACAs, TCKs and ELLs:  Welcome to our campus! But now what?
  • We all have them, but who are they and how do we meet their needs?  An interactive session (1) to create a better understanding of the blessings and challenges that students from other languages and cultures bring to our campuses and (2) to explore the overall preparedness of faculty to engage them in meaningful ways.  While ISs (International Students), DACAs, TCKs (Third Culture Kids), and ELLs (English Language Learners) are different in some ways, they also share many of the same hurdles.

• R. Wolle (WLC)-Keys to College Persistence: What can Professors of first year students do to increase persistence?
  • Approximately 75% of students who leave college early do so in their first two years, with the majority departing during or directly after their first year of college (Braunstein & McGrath, 1997; Tinto, 1993). This interactive workshop will discuss why the first year of college is a crucial time for risk of departure and more importantly, as faculty at small Christian institutions, what can we do to encourage persistence to graduation. It will include educational dynamics/challenges of social media and technology as well as provide opportunity for discussion and personal application of material.
  • Objectives:
    • Develop an understanding for why the first year is a ‘perfect storm’ for multiple challenges.
    • Understand that as small, Christian institutions we have a unique opportunity to create meaningful relationships with our students.
    • Develop a plan for faculty to understand their role in persistence.

• S. Finnigan/N. Farley (WLC)-Responding to a More Diverse Student Population in the Classroom
  • As our campuses become more diverse, and as American society is grappling with the increasing visibility of diverse groups, it becomes necessary to consider how we might most effectively address these changing landscapes in the classroom. Diversity refers to more than race, class, and gender. It includes other “invisible” differences like political affiliation, religious background (denominational and non-Christian), age, and education. Each of these differences contribute to the classroom environment since they directly inform the way students and faculty respond to course material and discussion. Thus, it becomes increasingly important to consider what kinds of diversities each of the LCC campuses both have and do not have. At the same time, it is necessary for faculty to establish methods for reaching students with various backgrounds while preparing all students for engagement with diverse groups and individuals in their post-collegiate vocations and ministries.
  • Consequently, in this panel we propose to address through descriptive and pedagogical papers the following questions: how can we engage students in material that addresses diversity, encourage active and productive participation in “difficult” discussions, and create an environment that welcomes diversity while remaining true to our missions of faithfulness to the Scriptures and to the Lutheran Confessions? We will discuss the nature of “corporate culture,” or the shared belief and behavioral structures of a group, and modes for addressing diversity in those contexts while applying these concepts to classroom pedagogy. Accordingly, we hope to generate broad engagement with diversity on WELS/ELS campuses and in our communities.

• P. Bloedel (BLC)-Deception, Suggestion and Influence: A Lutheran’s Guide to Navigating the Truth in an Entertainment Culture.
  • Can deception exist even if the deceiver thinks that he/she is telling the truth? Today it is more important than ever to identify and discuss the hidden deceptions and suggestions woven into the fabric of modern culture that can instill false “truths” and beliefs in our students, or even in ourselves. We live in a world where mixed, or covert, messages in popular entertainment are blitzed at us faster than we even know how to process them. This presentation explores elements of dramatic/entertainment theory and application, to help identify common elements that make “the power of suggestion” work.

• B. Dose (MLC)-Captive to the Text: Luther’s View of Literature and Meaning
  • Martin Luther strongly endorsed the study of literature: “I am persuaded that without knowledge of literature pure theology cannot at all endure. . . . By these studies [poetry and rhetoric], as by no other means, people are wonderfully fitted for the grasping of sacred truth and for handling it skillfully and happily” (LW 49:34). These words warm the hearts of Lutheran liberal arts instructors; such a claim also challenges us with a deeper view of our vocation.
  • This presentation will look at Luther’s views on literature as seen in two particular cases: the real presence debate and his project on Aesop’s Fables, covering—in literary terms– both poetry and narrative/fiction. Luther’s focus on the authority and art of texts can lead us to a healthy debate on how we can improve students’ reading and communicating, “the grasping of sacred truth and handling it skillfully.” Particular topics for application will be addressing problems in interpretation and considering how basic Lutheran hermeneutics can work together with the study of secular literature.

• J. Boeder [Panel] (MLC)- Mental Health Issues on Campus: A Christian Response
  • A panel of Student Life representatives from each college will discuss current mental health issues on our campuses. Topics include: What is an effective strategy for those not trained as counselors who want to offer help to students in need?  What indicates when it is time to refer a student to a professional counselor? What kind of follow-through will best serve student needs?

Keynote Three – Working with Millennials and Gen-Zers