Campus clips: Commencements and more

Aqueelah Roberson, Ed.D., receives her doctoral hood from faculty members Dr. Jean Rock and Dr. Samuel Haag during commencement at Concordia University, St. Paul (CSP), St. Paul, Minn., on May 4. (CSP)

The monthly “Campus Clips” column includes brief reports from LCMS schools and campus ministries.

Record number of graduates

Concordia University, St. Paul (CSP), St. Paul, Minn., conferred degrees upon a record 865 graduates during spring commencement ceremonies in St. Paul and Portland, Ore. The university also conferred honorary degrees upon Rolland Durst, Mantorville, Minn.; Nicholas Francis, Apple Valley, Minn.; the Rev. Dr. James Gimbel, St. Cloud, Minn.; and Marie Minderhout, Beaverton, Ore. And in honor of their contributions to the church, the Rev. Dr. Thomas and Susie Ries were presented with CSP’s Aeterna Moliri (“Building for Eternity”) award.

Pancake hospitality

Cross and Resurrection Lutheran Church, the chapel at Eastern Michigan University (EMU), Ypsilanti, Mich., serves free pancakes every Friday night from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. This event offers the opportunity to connect with a wide variety of students, including those who may have limited food outside of their meal plan. Volunteers from around campus help serve the pancakes, allowing additional connections with students who are looking for community service opportunities. This campus outreach provides an opportunity to love students in Jesus’ name, create a safe environment for them, and forge a positive connection with the campus ministry adjacent to the EMU campus. The Rev. Bryan K. Schindel serves as Cross and Resurrection senior pastor.

Read more in the Winter 2021 Lutherans Engage the World.

New campus pastor

The Rev. Jonathon Bakker has accepted the divine call to serve as campus pastor at Concordia University Wisconsin (CUW), Mequon, Wis. Bakker is a Concordia University Ann Arbor alum. Before coming to CUW, he served as senior pastor at Zion Lutheran Church, Mount Pleasant, Mich. Before that, from 2006 to 2015, he served as associate pastor at Christ the King Lutheran Chapel on the campus of Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant. Bakker began his new role at CUW in April.

Intergenerational seminar

In April, Concordia University Chicago (CUC), River Forest, Ill., was blessed to host a group of LCMS Northern Illinois District pastors on campus for the inaugural Intergenerational Pastor Leadership Seminar. Co-sponsored with CUC’s Center for Gerontology, the daylong series of workshops engaged attendees of all ages to learn together as they shared their leadership experiences in an effort to develop new relationships, strategies and opportunities for growth.

The Rev. Dr. Scott Bruzek, associate pastor of St. John Lutheran Church, Wheaton, Ill., and John Crowe, St. John’s parish administrator, led a series of interactive conversations focused on operational, organizational and individual excellence. Each attendee left with an individual action plan for his parish. The plan will help each pastor to build upon the important work of leading his congregation in day-to-day operations as well as high-level strategic planning.

Serving the church

Concordia University, Nebraska (CUNE), Seward, Neb., celebrated professional LCMS church work graduates with a Service of Sending on May 3. At the service, 50 pre-seminary, pre-deaconess, director of parish music, director of Christian education and Lutheran teacher diploma graduates were recognized. The administration, faculty and staff of CUNE send their congratulations to the graduates and ask for the church’s prayers for them as they go out into the world to serve and lead in Christ’s church.

Mission accomplished

On May 4 and 5, Concordia University Ann Arbor (CUAA), Ann Arbor, Mich., celebrated over 180 students who received undergraduate and graduate degrees in disciplines that included nursing, physician assistant studies, education, and justice and public policy. The class of 2024, most of whom enrolled at CUAA amid the COVID-19 pandemic, is a resilient, resourceful and faithful group with wide-ranging backgrounds and life experiences. Meet a few of this year’s graduates at blog.cuaa.edu/live-uncommon.

Room to grow

Concordia University Irvine (CUI), Irvine, Calif., hosted the grand opening of its new nursing campus in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., on April 23. Members of the CUI community were joined by civic leaders from San Bernardino County, the city of Rancho Cucamonga and local health care agencies for the ribbon-cutting ceremony and dedication of the new facility, which marks the second expansion of CUI’s nursing programs this academic year. The Rancho Cucamonga campus offers a hybrid learning format for CUI’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) students, allowing them to complete their coursework online and still benefit from face-to-face lab instruction and student support services while attending clinicals in their local communities.

In his remarks during the event, CUI President Dr. Michael A. Thomas noted how the new instructional site in San Bernardino County fits with CUI’s mission: “The expansion of our ABSN program illustrates our commitment to educate the workforce for the 21st century in southern California. We are excited to partner with [healthcare organizations and civic leaders] as we form wise, honorable and cultivated citizens to serve our communities.”

Faculty authors celebrated

Faculty and staff of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis (CSL), who have written or contributed to published books or other publications during the 2023–2024 academic year were honored at the annual Concordia Seminary Author Reception on May 14 in the Kristine Kay Hasse Memorial Library on the CSL campus. Find the complete list of authors and their works at csl.edu/newsroom.

In a special campaign that culminated May 10, local and nationwide supporters of CSL stepped up once again to advance the seminary’s vital mission through Give STL Day, an annual online giving event organized by the St. Louis Community Foundation for the benefit of St. Louis-based nonprofits. Some 170 donors made gifts totaling $60,065. Gifts were matched dollar for dollar up to the first $25,000 raised.

Seminary students recognized

Seventeen students at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne (CTSFW), received awards at a special convocation following morning chapel on May 7. The awards were presented by representatives of the four academic departments, including Exegetical Theology, Systematic Theology, Pastoral Ministry and Missions, and Historical Theology; by the Graduate School; by the Deaconess Formation Program; and by the Student Association. A complete list of the awards and recipients may be found at ctsfw.edu/news.

Future historians

On April 18, five students at Zion Middle School, Bethalto, Ill., competed at the regional level in the Great History Challenge, having qualified in March by way of an online test. The competition was held at Westminster Christian Academy in St. Louis, where Zion students Izzy, Lily, Collin, Rhett and Mike showcased their historical knowledge through several rounds of intense, timed competition. Their performance not only secured them places within the top 12 but also earned them the opportunity to advance to the national competition in Chicago, where Mike clinched a spot in the top five and earned the title of regional champion.

Zion Principal Sarah Koch said, “The Great History Challenge is not only a testament to our students’ knowledge and growth here at Zion but also a celebration of their commitment to learning. We are incredibly proud of Izzy, Lily, Collin, Rhett and Mike for their remarkable achievements and wish them continued success.”

Learn more about Zion Lutheran Church and School at zionbethalto.org.

Posted June 19, 2024