Dr. John Kolander

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Kolander head shotDr. John Kolander, one of 15 off-campus instructors in MLC’s Master of Science in Education program, is a champion of Lutheran education in all aspects of his life: his ministry, his family, world missions—and, of course, the MLC graduate program.

Having taught at Lutheran elementary, high school, and college level, he brings his experience and optimism to the MLC grad students who take his class, The School as a Learning Community. His goal is not only to improve Lutheran teachers, but to improve Lutheran schools. “I enjoy seeing educators excited about school improvement and feeling equipped to carry it out,” he says. “MLC provides a Christ-centered program of quality that is accessible to WELS educators. Bottom line: it assists in strengthening Lutheran schools.”

What few people know is that his interest is not only in Lutheran schools in America. He also works with the Edgar H and Meta A Hoenecke Vulnerable Children’s Foundation, Inc., which funds two schools in the Lutheran Church of Central Africa: Kaunda Square and Matero, both in Lusaka, Zambia. The schools educate 280 children, 80% of them identified as vulnerable: having no access to food, housing, or education due to their economic status, the abandonment of their parents, or the deaths of their parents (often due to HIV/AIDS). The foundation’s mission states that “It is our prayer that children living lives of faith and being educated in Lutheran schools will grow into healthy, educated, God-fearing adults who will assume leadership roles in a country lacking leaders.”

Kolander himself has been a leader in Lutheran schools for 30 years. A 1981 graduate of DMLC, he served 11 years as principal and upper-grade teacher at Samuel-Marshall MN and Immanuel-Waupaca WI, 12 years as teacher and assistant principal at Fox Valley LHS, and, most recently, seven years at Wisconsin Lutheran College, five as academic dean and two as provost. He has an MA in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and a PhD in Educational Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Lutheran education is a trademark of the whole Kolander family. His wife, Anna (DMLC ’81), serves as assistant principal at Risen Savior-Milwaukee. Kurt, a Lutheran school grad, is completing his PhD in Biomedical Research at the Medical College of Wisconsin; Paul is a WLC grad currently enrolled in the Seminary Certification Program at MLC; Meta is graduating from WLC in May; and Sarah is graduating from Wisconsin Lutheran High School in May.

A member of Christ the Lord-Brookfield WI, Kolander enjoys camping, hiking, and cooking. His favorite books include historical fiction by Allan W. Eckert and the nonfiction of Malcolm Gladwell, including The Tipping Point and Blink.

“Dr. Kolander has always been a highly respected leader in Lutheran education,” says Director of Graduate Studies John Meyer. “I’ve admired his work since he was my mentor principal, helping me become a better educational leader. MLC’s graduate students are blessed to have a person of Dr. Kolander’s passion and experience as an instructor.”

Dr. Jeff Lemke

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Jeff Lemke Head ShotDr. Jeff Lemke is looking forward to sharing his expertise with graduate students in MLC’s new course, School Business Administration. This course is an elective for all Master of Science in Education students and a requirement in our new Master of Science in Educational Administration program, a degree designed specifically for WELS principals and early childhood directors—and those willing to prepare themselves for such a role.

Dr. Lemke explains that this course will lead the graduate students through several crucial elements of administering a Lutheran school: financial management, recruitment, marketing, fundraising, and developing entrepreneurial schools.

Some of these topics touch on areas that are sensitive, perhaps even controversial. Lemke wants to discuss them all openly and honestly.

He explains: “It’s commonplace in today’s world that the topics of finances and belief are not to be discussed. I’m continually drawn to both these topics because they’re of critical importance in building schools that can be great tools for ministry. I believe other WELS principals and childhood directors believe the same.”

Lemke comes by his knowledge through both education and experience. His credentials include a BA (psychology) from Wisconsin Lutheran College, and an MA (organizational leadership) and PhD (educational administration) from Bethel University-St. Paul. He feels blessed to have received a broad education across several disciplines: psychology, communications, theology, business leadership, and education.

His experience includes his current ministry at St. Croix Lutheran Grades 6-12, where he serves as director of admissions, marketing, and international programs. He contracts with both international partners and local marketing firms to project St. Croix’s brand, and he regularly shares the blessings of a St. Croix education with families as close as St. Paul, Lake City, and Rochester, Minnesota, and as far away as South America and Asia.

Prior to his St. Croix call, he directed a St. Paul Family Center program that assisted new immigrants with the transition to life in America, a role that included extensive grant writing and community partnership development.

An eclectic early education also adds color to Dr. Lemke’s CV: He started elementary school at a rural school, Grace-Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and finished at an urban school, Atonement-Milwaukee. He continues to support Atonement enthusiastically because of the “incredibly formative experience” he received there. He’s also a proud graduate of St. Croix Lutheran, from which he immediately stepped off to a European backpacking trip with his sister. “Thus began a life-long journey of experiential learning,” he says.

Lemke is looking forward to joining MLC as an adjunct instructor. “Every time you teach,” he says, “you learn so much and see the fruits of it in your ministry. I have learned much already from the instructors who have guided me in developing the course and look forward to the many things I will learn from my students.”

Grad students will enjoy both Dr. Lemke’s knowledge and also his passion for excellence in Lutheran education. “The Lord has blessed each one of us with a passion for excellence in a unique realm of his created world,” he says. “May the Spirit guide us all in fully developing our area of excellence so that he may use us as an instrument of his will.”

 

Meet Dr. Jeff Lemke

Family: I have wonderful women in my life. My wife has her master’s degree in philanthropy and development and works with our local hospital. She’s a tremendous resource regarding fundraising and financial management and is an outstanding mother, especially during my weeks out of the country. My daughters Ava and Lucia revel in their friendships and learning opportunities at Salem Lutheran in Stillwater, Minnesota. Their little sister, Mikaela, is 7 months old and makes sure we are awake and giggling all of the time. We all love dance parties and exploring nature.

I’ve been raised in good company with three older sisters and two sisters-in-law. My mother taught at the grade school level for over 25 years and provided me with a sense of creativity shown via photography endeavors.

My father is a lifelong friend and mentor. We talk daily about financial management and how to build great schools. We continue to utilize God’s gift of football as a tool for ministry with young men and have been fortunate to build two statechampionship teams together.

Church: Salem-Stillwater MN

Professional Organizations:

  • National Association of International Educators—Committee of K-12 International Programs
  • School Board at Salem-Stillwater MN
  • Minnesota Football Coaches Association

Personal interests: dance parties with my girls, international movies, skiing, investing, football

Dr. Carrie Pfeifer

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Dr Carrie PfeiferDr. Carrie Pfeifer DMLC ’81 has a passion for good teaching. She knows good teachers aren’t merely good with math or English, nor are they merely good with kids. Good teachers connect the learner and the subject matter—but there’s more. Good teachers understand that each child learns in a different way, and it is the teacher’s job to figure out each child’s instructional needs and meet those needs.

In many ways, Dr. Pfeifer has made this her life’s work. “Every student is unique,” she says, “and I enjoy finding out what helps each student experience success in school.”

When the school is a Christian school, the importance of solid teaching and learning is even greater—and so is Pfeifer’s passion. “A Christian education is such a special blessing for our children,” she says. “My passion is to be able to offer that blessing to as many children as possible.”

Pfeifer’s passion has been fed by experience. She has taught at almost every grade level, PK to high school, in her ministries at St. Matthew-Niles IL, St. John-Sleepy Eye MN, Minnesota Valley Lutheran HS-New Ulm MN, and St. Croix Lutheran Schools-West St. Paul MN.

At both area Lutheran high schools, she not only taught courses, but she also served as learning resources director, which affirmed to her the importance of differentiating instruction to meet each learner’s needs.

Many WELS teachers are familiar with Pfeifer through the continuing education courses and webinars she has taught through MLC the past several years, including the courses Human Relations and Understanding Autism, and the webinars on brain-based strategies for students who have learning issues and attention issues. Pfeifer created these webinars herself, and they are available this semester. She hopes to create more webinars on autism and literacy disorders. She also offers a one-credit online course in differentiated instruction, which is part of the Teaching that Works series.

Carrie and her husband, Gene, live in Inver Grove Heights MN and attend Good Shepherd-Burnsville MN. They have three adult children, Jesse, Nicole, and Jordan; and one new granddaughter, Makinley Mae, born in June to Jesse and his wife, Naomi.

Nicole and Jordan were adopted from South Korea. On a trip back there last March, Carrie and Gene found the agency where Nicole came from. “It was a pretty special day for us,” she says.

In addition to her work as Learning Resources Director at St. Croix Lutheran, she is also Director of Student Residences and teacher of English 4 and College in the Classroom Advanced Writing (in partnership with Bethany Lutheran College).

Carrie likes snowshoeing, bicycling, and playing with little Makinley. Another “hobby” is teaching speed reading and ACT/SAT/TOEFL test prep classes in her spare time.

As an English teacher, she will stick with the classic To Kill a Mockingbird as her favorite book. And her favorite music is that produced by her daughter, Nicole, who is an indie-rock singer and songwriter with one album made and another in the planning.

MLC continuing ed and graduate students are grateful that Carrie is willing to share her passion for good teaching with them, and Carrie is grateful to be their instructor.

“I think it is vital that teachers continue to learn and grow,” she says. “MLC’s continuing education program and graduate programs offer high-quality courses from a Christian perspective. I feel very blessed to be a part of such an outstanding program. I enjoy working with such a high level of students—our synod is blessed to have such talented teachers in our schools.”

Dr. David Wendler

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Wendler in regalia croppedWe praise God for 10 years of the MLC master’s program—10 years of high-quality instruction and high-speed growth—all fueled by the desire to serve God and further the gospel. It was in the late 90s when Dr. John Isch, then director of special services (continuing ed), and Dr. David Wendler, chair of the education division, first asked the question:

Was it time for a master’s degree in education at MLC?

Other master’s programs were available to WELS teachers, but they weren’t founded on Lutheran educational principles. Might an MLC program serve the specific needs of WELS teachers? Might it add to WELS teacher proficiency and school credibility? And might schools with more credibility be more attractive to the unchurched, allowing a wider sharing of the gospel?

With the support of the WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools, Dr. Isch took the lead by conducting a feasibility study. The results were reported to the 1999 WELS Convention—and they were positive. Two years later, the 2001 convention approved the addition of a master’s degree in education at MLC.

With synod approval, the really difficult work began. Again, Dr. Isch did most of the heavy lifting. He conducted a needs analysis to determine what teachers wanted: types of courses, comfortable price points, and delivery methods (on campus, on location, or online). He directed the construction of the curriculum, developed a policy manual, and contributed to the lengthy application sent to the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

“We really cannot overemphasize the role Dr. Isch played in the development of this program,” Dr. Wendler said.

Wendler also noted the extensive work done by his administrative assistant, Deb Plath, in producing the necessary documentation. And he recalled that his membership on the HLC proved beneficial, as it gave the college more insight into what the commission would require.

A few preliminary courses were offered in 2004, and then in 2005 the HLC granted official approval—not just for a master’s program, but for a completely online master’s program. The MLC MS-Ed was off and running.

Dr. Isch was the first director of graduate studies, continuing until 2007. In those two years alone, the enrollment jumped to 52.

In 2007, Dr. Wendler became interim director, serving for three years while John Meyer, called in 2008, finished his doctoral studies at the University of Minnesota. Since 2010, Dr. Meyer has served as director of graduate studies and has added director of continuing education to his title as well.

In 10 short years, under the guidance of these three men, the program has enjoyed explosive growth. The first graduation class, in 2008, consisted of two. Today 72 graduates put MS-Ed behind their name, and another 132 are enrolled.

The number of courses has grown to 46, and the faculty totals 26, including 17 adjunct instructors. In 2010, a fourth emphasis, educational technology, joined the first three: instruction, leadership, and special education.

“I always hoped the program would have over 100 students and continue to grow,” Wendler said. “That is now achieved. It’s time to set a new goal of 200-300 students. I’d like to see earning a master’s degree become part of the culture and expectation for all WELS teachers.

“There are so many benefits to getting a master’s degree,” he continued. “Teachers sense that their learning never ends. After some classroom experience, they can reflect on their practice and integrate new techniques. They learn from their peers and from college professors, including adjuncts from other colleges and universities. And finally, when they graduate, they have the increased credibility of a master’s degree.”

As Dr. Wendler considered the past decade and the decades to come, he said he’s impressed with the work Dr. John Meyer is doing. “As I visit other colleges and universities and compare our program with theirs, we stack up very well. And I’m glad we’re going to offer other master’s degrees, like the MS-Educational Administration and the MA-Theological Studies.”

Why are so many WELS teachers pursuing their graduate degree at MLC? They see it as faithfulness to their calling, a desire to be good stewards of the gifts God has given them and to become as proficient as possible in their vocation. Many also see how a master’s degree increases their own and their schools’ credibility.

This is especially important as schools reach out to the unchurched. People in their communities may not understand much about Lutheran education, but they do appreciate high-quality education delivered by highly trained teachers. Master’s degrees, much like teacher licensure and school accreditation, lend credibility to the school and serve the gospel.

“We don’t want any impediment that might hinder parents, members or non-members, from enrolling their children in our Lutheran schools,” said Dr. Wendler. “The gospel message of Christ’s redemptive work for their souls is too precious and important.”

He continues: “Our WELS school system has the potential to be our country’s leading example of teaching and learning effectiveness. That reputation for teachers and schools is simply a bridge to the much more important effectiveness that the Holy Spirit works through his gospel in the hearts of students who attend our schools.”

Written by Laurie Gauger-Hested