A Summer of Serving our Savior

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by Julia Schibbelhut ’21 (St. Paul-Onalaska WI)

CAMP PHILLIP:


What’s your idea of a perfect summer? For 22 students at MLC, there’s no place they’d rather be than Camp Phillip—a summer camp in Wautoma, Wisconsin. These camp counselors don’t just jam out with kids around the campfire, lead adventures on the ropes course, and perform nightly skits, they also share the gospel with the children in their care—up to 1,200 campers throughout the summer!

“It is such a huge blessing to work directly with kids and with people who are so inspiring and passionate about ministry,” says Kasandra Wagner (Good Shepherd-Sioux Falls SD). Camp Phillip loves the MLC students in its crew, and MLC loves the real-life ministry experience that these students get at camp.

NEW YORK CITY:


Mykenna Schneiter (Faith-Fond du Lac WI, pictured) spent a week this summer at Sure Foundation-Queens NY teaching kids
about color, creativity, and Christ. Mykenna and fellow MLC students Rachel Goddard (St. Paul-Saginaw MI) and Gabe Jacobsen (Shepherd of the Lakes-Fairmont MN) taught Bible stories and led art activities connected to the stories.

“At first, most of the kids wouldn’t answer any questions during Bible time,” she says, “but by the end of the week, they were raising their hands and sharing the Bible knowledge they had learned. It was so cool to see God’s Word at work!”

UKRAINE:


“This summer, I had the opportunity to spread Jesus’ love to people in Ukraine,” says preseminary student Caleb Christopher (Faith-Sharpsburg GA, pictured, front left, with his new Ukrainian friends). “This trip was the experience of a lifetime. It changed my outlook on outreach and the power of God’s Word.” For over a month, Caleb assisted two churches—aiding them in worship services and VBS programs.

“I was able to convey Jesus’ love to kids whose language I hardly spoke,” Caleb says. “The experience gave me friendships that will last into eternity and taught me that God’s love spans cultural and linguistic borders.”

ST. JOHN-MARIBEL WI:


Moriah Poehlman (St. John-Maribel WI, pictured) and Donovan Waege (St. Paul-Tomah WI) got their hands dirty (and their faces too!) while teaching kiddos at St. John-Maribel’s summer camp.

“I learned to treasure the kids and how much fun they are,” says Moriah. “Seeing their unique personalities made me look forward to my first call and meeting my future students!”

This feature was originally published in the MLC InFocus, Fall 2018 issue.

2018-2019 Martin Luther College Governing Board

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Back: Timothy Petermann, Steven Rosenbaum DMLC ’86 (secretary), Andrew Van Weele ’04, Michael Krueger, Michael Woldt WLS ’81 (chair), Paul Prange WLS ’88 (Ministerial Education administrator), Mark Zarling WLS ’80 (MLC president), Randy Matter, Joe Archer DMLC ’78. Front: Geoffrey Kieta WLS ’93, Mark Wessel WLS ’86, Daniel Leyrer WLS ’89, Michael Seifert WLS ’03 (vice chair), David Uhlhorn ’99, Michael Valleau, Dale Krause, Michael Lindemann WLS ’91, Dennis Klatt WLS ’88 (Minnesota District president).

The MLC Governing Board met September 27-28, 2018, on campus. They participated in Bible study, heard reports, discussed multiple topics, and acted on the following issues:

Calls: Approved the calling of one teacher candidate to serve as physical education professor and coach.

Costs: Approved undergraduate tuition, room & board increases of 3% for 2019-20. Concurrently approved a 5% increase in institutional financial aid. Per-credit cost for continuing education and graduate students will remain unchanged.

Athletic Facilities: Granted permission to MLC Administrative Council to continue a feasibility study of a partnership with New Ulm Department of Recreation for the building of a multipurpose permanent structure at the MLC Athletic Complex.

Facility Preservation: Approved the setting aside of monies for asset preservation, specifically related to Centennial Hall and Old Main, in surplus of unrestricted funds. Also approved a request to the Synodical Council for a grant from the Financial Stabilization Fund for the remaining costs of MLC’s unfunded Centennial Hall projects in FY20.

Asset Policy: Approved the revised Unrestricted Net Asset Policy dated September 28, 2018, which includes provisions for ownership of movable equipment and library books and increases the Economic Stabilization Fund minimum to 10% of the current operating budget.

Scott Schmudlach DMLC ’85
Vice President for Administration

This feature was originally published in the MLC InFocus, Fall 2018 issue.

Football on a Roll

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A lot can happen in two years. The MLC football program can attest to that. Two years after a winless 2016 season, the Knights sit in first place in the UMAC with a 5-1 record (4-0 in conference play) and several nationally recognized players.

Following a strong performance in a season-opening loss to Gustavus Adolphus (32-20), the Knights came from behind to win 28-24 at Rockford, thanks to a 68-yard touchdown strike from #4 Zach Bloomquist (WISCO / St. Jacobi-Greenfield WI, pictured) to Josh Arndt (St. Croix LA / Good Shepherd-Burnsville MN) with under one minute to play.

That win got the ball rolling for the Knights, who opened league play on September 22 with a dominating 63-28 win at Greenville. Bloomquist accounted for five touchdowns (three rushing, two passing) in the win, and was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week for his performance. The following week, MLC proved it belonged with the best teams in the conference with a 49-21 win over St. Scholastica. The Knights trailed 21-7 in that game in the second quarter, but ripped off 42 unanswered points on the way to their first win over CSS since 2010. This time, it was defensive lineman Dan Gensmer’s (Michigan Lutheran Seminary / Abiding Love-Cape Coral FL) turn in the spotlight, as he became the first MLC defensive player in program history to be named to the D3football.com Team of the Week thanks to a three-sack effort.

MLC came out of that game with a target on its chest, and the team needed second-half comebacks the next two weeks to remain unbeaten in league play. The Knights overcame a 21-7 deficit in the fourth quarter at Iowa Wesleyan, with Arndt once again scoring the game-winner on a 74-yard toss from Joshua Schroeder (Luther Prep / St. Peter-Modesto CA) on a trick play.

The following week, the Knights scored four touchdowns in the second half to secure a 28-12 Homecoming win over Westminster. That victory, the fifth straight, put this team in the books, tied for most consecutive wins in program history. Through the season’s first six weeks, the Knights set new single-game records for total yards (711 at Greenville), passing yards (405 at Greenville), and rushing yards (477 v. St. Scholastica). They lead the UMAC in points (36.0), total yards (461.2), and rushing yards (265.8) per game on offense, while also ranking first in rushing yards allowed (90.2) and interceptions (nine) on defense. Four different players—Arndt, Bloomquist, Gensmer, and Austin DeNoyer (Lakeside LHS / St. Paul-Lake Mills WI)—have earned UMAC Player of the Week honors as well.

This feature was originally published in the MLC InFocus, Fall 2018 issue.

A Strong Principal for Every School

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The 21st Century Lutheran Principal Initiative

The 2017 Principal Cohort with mentors and CLS staff: (front) Lowell Holtz (mentor), Charles Galecki ’15, Nathan Schultz ’05, Brett Bengel ’07, Justin Krause ’09,’18, Kyle Seim ’11; (back) Ben Washburn ’97 (mentor), Tom Plitzuweit ’97, ’16 (CLS associate director), Dave Schroeder DMLC ’93 (mentor), Jim Rademan DMLC ’82 (CLS director), Philip Gustafson ’09, ’16

Goal: Every WELS school will have a strong principal— with the training and experience needed to manage today’s complex educational environment, with adequate time for all duties, and with a compensation rate commensurate with the demands of the call.

Problem: WELS loses 25 principals a year, only six of those to retirement. Others go back to classroom teaching or leave the ministry altogether. Those who leave cite insufficient time, training, and compensation as the main reasons. Those same insufficiencies also hinder recruitment of new principals.

Proposed solution: The 21st Century Lutheran Principal Initiative was approved by the WELS 2017 Convention (resolution 14-2) to meet all these needs, thereby strengthening schools and increasing student learning. Dr. John Meyer DMLC ’87, MLC director of graduate studies and continuing education, explains: “The 21st Century Lutheran Principal Initiative is a plan to stop the attrition and give principals the tools they need to be successful. We want to recruit and fully prepare experienced teachers prior to calling them to principal position —positions that will provide sufficient administrative time and compensation.

“This is a radical departure from the historical approach to Lutheran school leadership, where we called teachers with little training to the principalship. We even assigned new graduates to teacher-principal positons. With scant training and experience, these graduates, often the most promising teachers, burned out. From 2012-2016, for example, 30% of the 31 principal assignees left ministry completely.”

The 21st Century Lutheran Principal Initiative addresses these concerns with three key components:

  1. Only proven teachers with at least three years of
    experience will be recruited to the principalship.
  2. These candidates will be fully trained before being
    called to a principal position.
  3. These candidates can be called only by schools that
    provide at least the synod-adopted minimums for
    administrative time and compensation.

The training (#2 above) is a program developed jointly by the WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools and Martin Luther College. It involves three years of leadership experiences and the completion of MLC’s MS-Educational Administration. Annual cohorts of 15 people will be recruited. Two cohorts have already begun.

Scholarships: Because graduate studies tuition may be an impediment, we’re seeking a quarter million dollars in scholarship funding to incentivize experienced teacher leaders to join the principal cohorts.

“The 21st Century Lutheran Principal Initiative creates a new WELS organizational paradigm for leadership recruitment and preparation,” says Dr. Meyer. “We ask God to bless our efforts to prepare strong leaders for WELS schools, that we may even more effectively educate our children, nurture our families, and share the good news of life in Jesus Christ.”

Interested? Contact Dr. John Meyer at meyerjd@mlc-wels.edu.

This feature was originally published in the MLC InFocus, Fall 2018 issue.

Lindemann Named All-UMAC

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Junior Alison Lindemann (Luther Prep / St. John-Lewiston MN, pictured) became the first player in MLC women’s golf program history to earn All-UMAC honors this fall. Lindemann earned the honor after taking seventh place at the UMAC Women’s Golf Championships with a three-day score of 278 strokes. She started that tournament with a round of 98 in tough conditions, but came right back to tie for the lowest round-two score at the event (87) before closing the tournament with a 93 on the final day.

Lindemann recorded a strong fall season, finishing sixth in the conference with an average score of 92.9 strokes in 11 rounds of competition. She tied for first place at the UMAC Preview event on September 6, and also took home individual medalist honors at the UNW Invite on September 25 with a career-best round of 86.

This feature was originally published in the MLC InFocus, Fall 2018 issue.

Luther Interpretive Trail & Environmental Site

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Established by a Faculty Initiative Grant requested by Professor Steve Thiesfeldt in 2006, Luther Interpretive Trail & Environmental Site (LITES) is a seven-acre plot adjacent to Flandrau State Park that has been patiently developed to serve as an outdoor classroom for environmental science students.

Ongoing improvement of the site includes removing invasive species, reestablishing native prairie flora, creating an interpretive trail with markers noting points of natural interest, building a pavilion/shelter with benches for classes, and beginning the collection of data: vegetation, animal life, soil conditions, temperature and moisture, and so on. MLC Grounds Supervisor Tim Rambow oversees all physical improvements to the property. Professor Thiesfeldt envisions that every MLC student will visit LITES at least once during a required science course. Science education majors might use the site in many different ways. Visitors from elementary and high schools could also participate in outdoor activities on the site.

“Ultimately,” he says, “the project will emphasize the wise stewardship of resources entrusted to us by our gracious God. Students will enhance their knowledge of the natural world and learn to appreciate the delicate balance required to sustain life on this planet.”

Professor Dan Fenske has already utilized LITES with his biology students to do tree, bird call, and animal-track
identification. He also plans to do a study of the invertebrates in the pond. “And no,” he adds, “there have been no Bigfoot sightings so far.”

This feature was originally published in the MLC InFocus, Fall 2018 issue.

To The Ends Of The Earth – Serving Abroad Right Now

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About two dozen 2018 graduates are now teaching abroad for a year or more. Some were assigned to congregations, and some opted to teach in conjunction with a WELS mission abroad.

In the last 10 years, 145 graduates have opted for international service in 13 countries and have made their mark on the world—and on people’s hearts with the gospel.

They’ve come back enriched and renewed—with minds and hearts more open to all kinds of people and with spirits even more responsive to a world hungry for the Word.

HOME & WORLD MISSIONS

Santiago Botero (Bogotá, Colombia) to Metro Los Angeles: evangelist (one-year assignment)
Tassia-Channel Clement (Corinthe Estate, Gros Islet, St Lucia) to Grace LSGrand Anse, Grenada: teacher mentor
Eric Dorn (Crete IL) to St John LS-St John’s, Antigua & Barbuda: gr 3 (one-year assignment)
Aimee Duncan (Mechanicville NY) to St John LS-St John’s, Antigua & Barbuda: gr 5 (reassigned second year)
Josiah Nommensen (Cudahy WI) to Grace LS-Grand Anse, Grenada: gr TBD (one-year assignment)
Elise Rosenbaum (St Joseph MI) to St John LS-St John’s, Antigua & Barbuda: gr 1 (one-year assignment)

INTERNATIONAL SITES CHOSEN BY GRADUATES

Sarah Couture (Ottawa, Ontario) to Dominican Republic
Madeline Helwig (Mequon WI) to Southeast Asia
Samuel Helwig (Richfield WI) to Southeast Asia
Sarah Kell (Zumbrota MN) to Southeast Asia
Caleb King (Lomira WI) to Chile
Caroline Madson (Acworth GA) to Dominican Republic
Erich Osterman (Milwaukee) to Southeast Asia
Zachary Satorius (Annandale VA) to Peru
Mikala Schmitz (Fort Atkinson WI) to Dominican Republic
Morgan Schnose (Dearborn MI) to Southeast Asia
Michael Schoenfeld (Lake Mills WI) to Southeast Asia
Sarah Schoenfeld (Fort Atkinson WI) to Southeast Asia
Laura Schoenherr (New Ulm MN) to Southeast Asia
Kylah Schroeder (Modesto CA) to Southeast Asia
Ethan Schultz (Waukesha WI) to Southeast Asia
Justin Steinke (San Antonio TX) to Southeast Asia
Jason Zweifel (Lake Mills WI) to Ecuador

This feature was originally published in the MLC InFocus, Fall 2018 issue.

SAMS Gift Recognized

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At his retirement dinner April 15, 1999, MLC Professor of Music Ames Anderson closed his remarks to the faculty with these words: “As I leave the college, I would like to share one dream that I have for this place. Could we find monies for a college artist series with perhaps three offerings per year? Our students deserve to hear string quartets, lieder programs, woodwind quartets, chamber orchestras, and the like every year. How can we develop acquaintance and understanding with the classics without the opportunity to hear great music live?”

Because of his foresight and initiative, this dream is now a reality. The Summit Avenue Music Series (SAMS) is presenting programs of the highest professional and artistic caliber and has earned a loyal and responsive following among students and the community. We thank Mrs. Ruth Anderson for a gift of $15,000 toward future seasons in honor of her husband. She pledges her continued support of SAMS.

For information on upcoming SAMS concerts, please visit summitavenuemusic.com

Performers from the September 16, 2018 concert entitled “Brahmsfest” with Peter McGuire (violin), Richard Belcher (cello) and Bethel Balge (piano).

What’s all the Buzz About?

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By Julia Schibbelhut ’21 (St. Paul-Onalaska WI)

A buzz swept the hallways as mysterious boxes were hauled in from LITES (the Luther Interpretive Trail & Environmental Site). Inside each case, frames filled with honeycomb oozed golden honey. The Ecology class, taught by Professor Greg Diersen ’96, spent their lab period processing the first harvest of MLC honey and marveling at the role of bees in Creation. The MLC grounds keeper Tim Rambow is also the MLC beekeeper. He set up the hives and assisted with the harvest.

“I never expected to have this experience,” says Emmalie Olsen (Good Shepherd-West Bend WI). “Everyone got really into it. We had so much fun!”

First, students scraped off the waxy layer that capped the honey-filled cubbies.

Pictured from left: Sofia Spiegelberg (Trinity-Castries St. Lucia), Moriah Poehlman (St. John-Maribel WI), Emmalie Olsen, Noah Arnold (St. Paul-Oconto Falls WI)

Next, students spun the frames to force honey out of the combs and collect it in a tub.

Pictured: Nathan Curtis (Faith-Sharpsburg GA), Luke Willems (Bethany-Fort Atkinson WI)

Finally, students filled honey bear after honey bear with the freshest honey they’d ever tasted. In all, 144 bottles and several extra quart jars comprised this year’s harvest. The honey was dispersed among MLC honey fans, and the wax was saved for another science project to come.

This feature was originally published in the MLC InFocus, Fall 2018 issue.