Campus clips: High-achieving educators

This monthly column includes brief reports submitted by LCMS schools, campus ministries, universities and/or seminaries.

New CFO of CUI

After a national search, Concordia University Irvine (CUI), Irvine, Calif., has named Francene LaPoint as its vice-president of Finance and Business Operations and chief financial officer (CFO).

“I am excited to be joining the CUI team during a period of inspired vision and transformation,” LaPoint said. “Concordia’s mission and core convictions guided by Christ’s Great Commission are just what our society needs, and I am honored to join a Gospel-centered, faithful team of faculty, staff and administrators as we serve and support our students in achieving their academic and life goals.”

LaPoint received her Certified Public Accountant license in 1998 while employed at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. She brings more than 25 years of experience leading finance and accounting teams, most recently as a senior vice-president and chief accounting officer at Citizens Business Bank. She was responsible for all aspects of accounting and financial reporting, including preparation of financial documents for the governing board, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and other regulatory entities. She was also responsible for the implementation of new accounting standards as well as the development of internal accounting controls, policies and procedures. Prior to that, she served in a similarly complex role at Kinecta Federal Credit Union.

“With Francene LaPoint’s specific areas of acumen, she will guide the university as we exceed a $100 million annual budget in the coming years,” stated Dr. Michael Thomas, CUI president. “Additionally, she brings the heart of a Christian servant and teacher whose vocation will be used to expand our mission in Southern California and beyond.”

Grammy winner

Jess Russ, an alum of Concordia University Ann Arbor (CUAA), Ann Arbor, Mich., was among a songwriting team that took home a win on Feb. 2, during the 67th annual Grammy Awards ceremony. Russ was one of four co-writers of the song “That’s My King,” sung by Detroit gospel star CeCe Winans. The tune won in the category of “Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song,” an award given to both the artist(s) and songwriter(s) of the best contemporary Christian music single or track of the year.

Russ majored in music education and competed on the lacrosse team while at Concordia. She has said of her alma mater: “The first time I visited Concordia, I knew I was in the right place. I have met so many cool people with good hearts, servant hearts. Just by knowing them, my faith has been strengthened, and it has changed me as a person.”

Read more about Russ at thelc.ms/cuaa-musician-russ.

Legacy administrators

A recent article in the newsletter of the LCMS California-Nevada-Hawaii District highlighted four Lutheran school administrators who are now serving in the same schools they once attended as students:

Jennifer Lee, principal, Zion Lutheran School, San Francisco, Calif.;

Dale Munsch, principal, St. Peter Lutheran School, Lodi, Calif.;

Joy Dahl, preschool director, St. John’s Lutheran School, Napa, Calif.; and

Lihau Lewis, preschool director, Emmanuel Lutheran School, Kahului, Hawaii.

Read more about each of these educators and the ways they are blessing their former schools as leaders at thelc.ms/cnh-legacy-school-administrators.

Defending the faith

Concordia University Chicago (CUC), River Forest, Ill., has announced its first-ever Apologetics Boot Camp, to take place Aug. 17–20, directly before the Fall 2025 semester begins. Open to current and incoming undergraduate students, the camp will be an in-depth exploration of apologetics, which concern the defense of Christian truth against the many and various challenges posed to it, especially in recent years. Students will find strength and confidence as they learn to defend their faith, fortify themselves against personal doubt and respond to objections to Christianity.

Boot camp attendees will enjoy panel discussions, lectures from esteemed faculty, film screenings, games and devotions over the course of four days. Session topics will include “Why Apologetics Matters Today,” “The Reliability of Scripture,” “Evidence for the Resurrection” and many more. Further details can be found at 4agc.com/event/apologetics-boot-camp.

Accelerated degree

Concordia University Wisconsin (CUW), Mequon, Wis., has partnered with Marquette University Law School in Milwaukee to offer an accelerated pathway for students pursuing a career in law. The program allows qualifying CUW undergraduates to complete both their bachelor’s degree and a Juris Doctor (JD) degree in just six years, saving students a full year of education and providing an accelerated route to becoming an attorney.

The partnership, which was officially signed into effect earlier this year, provides a path by which a student may complete three years of undergraduate study at CUW before beginning the first year of law school at Marquette during his or her fourth year of study. CUW students who are admitted to the accelerated program will take the LSAT and apply to Marquette during the third year of their undergraduate program at CUW. The credits earned during the fourth year (29 credits under Marquette’s curriculum) will apply both to their bachelor’s degree and their first year of law school. Upon completion of their first year of law school, Concordia will award students their bachelor’s degree, and students may participate in CUW commencement exercises.

Read more at blog.cuw.edu/3-plus-3-law-degree.

Honoring donors

In March, Concordia University, Nebraska, (CUNE), Seward, Neb., will launch Seeds of Generosity, a monthlong celebration of giving and its lasting impact. With a special $50,000 matching gift, donations will go even further to support Christ-centered education and the development of future servant leaders. Seeds of Generosity honors the donors whose faithful support sustains CUNE’s mission and provides students with the opportunity to grow in faith, learning and service. Learn more at cune.edu/seeds.

Meeting the need for nurses

Concordia University, St. Paul (CSP). St. Paul, Minn., has acquired Platt College in Greenwood Village, Colo., as an expansion of the university’s nursing program. With this move, CSP now has a physical presence across three states — Minnesota, Oregon and Colorado — reinforcing its commitment to address critical nursing shortages in these regions.

This new Colorado program will offer the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) degree, enabling students to complete their degree in just 16 months. Guided by CSP’s Christ-centered Lutheran identity, the program integrates faith, learning and nursing to provide a holistic educational experience. This expansion aligns with CSP’s mission and will develop compassionate, skilled and dedicated nursing and healthcare professionals.

Learning across cultures

Registration is open for the 2025 Multiethnic Symposium, “Learning From Each Other: Catechesis That Raises Up Multiethnic Leaders for the Kingdom,” set for May 6–7 on the campus of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. The symposium will explore how the church can equip future leaders with the knowledge, skills and spiritual maturity to serve God’s kingdom faithfully.

The admission fee is $85, but CSL students and faculty may attend for free. For more information, visit csl.edu/multiethnic or contact Continuing Education at 314-505-7286 or ce@csl.edu. Participants are encouraged to extend their stay and attend the 2025 Multi Asian Gathering, set for May 7–8 also on the seminary campus. The admission fee for the Multi Asian Gathering is $25, and registration closes April 21. Learn more at csl.edu/event/2025-multi-asian-gathering.

Doctorate program revised

Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne (CTSFW), recently revised its Doctor of Philosophy in Theological Studies (PhD-TS) program, tying it more closely to the Master of Sacred Theology degree. Students who complete the first year of requirements of the PhD-TS will now be awarded a Master of Sacred Theology degree. If students have already earned an STM, that degree will fulfill the first-year requirements of the PhD-TS.

“These recent changes to our Ph.D. in Theological Studies program will make it more accessible and assure more completions, with the result that we will have more theological educators … whose scholarship is characterized by faithful confession and theological conviction,” said CTSFW Provost Rev. Dr. Charles Gieschen.

For more details about the PhD-TS and STM programs, contact program director Rev. Dr. Naomichi Masaki at naomichi.masaki@ctsfw.edu or visit ctsfw.edu/graduate.

Posted March 19, 2025