December 8, 2025

MAY 11, 2026

This year’s Children’s Theatre production was larger than life — really!

About 5,000 children came to our campus to see The BFG, an adaptation of Roald Dahl’s novel.

And the Big Friendly Giant was big!

Local WELS artist Faith Belt crafted a 10-foot-tall puppet that Joseph Schroeder (St. Paul-North Mankato MN) and two puppeteers moved around the stage, astonishing audiences and adding an extra measure of whimsy to an incredible show.

Visit our photo gallery to see more pictures from the show and from a character meet-and-greet at a local bookstore, Lykke Books.

And check out two excellent videos: a teaser for the show and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of The BFG puppet!

Worldwide MLC Day 2026 was a huge success! Our generous God inspired donors like you to shower us with gifts in support of future called workers!

Together, MLC friends and supporters gave $281,474 toward CPGP’s matching fund!

These gifts help MLC match the faithful investments congregations make in their students — future pastors, teachers, and staff ministers being Knighted for Ministry!

These students are deeply grateful for this assistance, which eases the financial burden of tuition. Watch the video!

It’s not too late to give. In 2025-2026, we’ve had to raise $950,000 to match the grants. Your generosity helped us meet our MLC Day goal, and that gave us a big boost! But we’re not quite there yet. If you missed MLC Day, or if you want to give another gift ... we’d be so grateful!

The MLC men’s outdoor track and field team had a fantastic weekend at the UMAC Outdoor Championships, taking first place by over 50 points.

This was the second consecutive season and the second time in school history that the MLC men claimed the top prize!

The women’s team also performed well at the Championships, placing second in the conference just behind Crown College.

Together, the Knights earned 12 first-place finishes, six MLC school records, and seven meet records at the Championships.

Read more men’s and women’s results!

That’s a wrap on our 2025-2026 school year! Check out a few end-of-year highlights below, and see even more in our photo gallery.

Spring is filled with recitals by our talented student musicians on a wide range of instruments, including their voices.

On Arbor Day — photos here and video here! — students exchanged textbooks for rakes to help clean up campus and the New Ulm parks!

In April, the MLC Wind Symphony presented Soundscapes, an aural journey across America. Watch the concert on YouTube! And catch the Wind Symphony on their annual tour, which launches right after graduation!

Plant Night is a popular student event, and this year’s featured a new twist: planter painting at Sota Street Studio in beautiful downtown New Ulm. 

Senior Rachel Schoeneck (Beautiful Savior-College Station TX) earned a prestigious honor: the UMAC’s 2026 Women’s Student-Athlete Leadership Award!

Through this award, the UMAC recognizes the role athletics plays in developing leaders by rewarding athletes’ excellence in the classroom as well as service to the community.

Rachel has shown academic excellence and leadership in both soccer and tennis, as well as in her work as an RA. As part of her ministry preparation, Rachel has also participated in MLC’s Spanish Bible study group, gone on a Daylight trip, and led music for worship services.

Read more on the UMAC website, and watch Rachel’s video.

Allison Grunke MLC ’22 happily spent five years on MLC’s campus to earn a double-major in elementary ed and early childhood ed, and now she’s back at it, working on an MLC master’s degree in education with an emphasis on instruction.

As Allison teaches 4K and kindergarten at Mt. Calvary/Grace-La Crosse WI, she’s finding that everything her MLC professors are teaching is improving her own teaching. Everything she’s learning is ramping up her students’ learning too.

Learning fuels learning — and that, of course, is the goal!

“As teachers, we pray that the students in our rooms learn to love learning,” said Allison. “We pray they become lifelong learners. By getting my degree, I’m able to be an example for my students. I can share in their learning journey, as I’m also going to school. And it’s also been such a blessing to do this under the leadership of Lutheran professors who keep Christ at the center of our learning.” Read More of Allison’s Story

Our followers love seeing the progress on the Old Main entryway remodel — like this picture of the original stained glass back in place over the new stairs.

Check out this and more on our Facebook page.

Then follow us so you never miss a post!

• May 15 - Honors Recital, 4:00 pm, Chapel of the Christ
• May 15 - Alumni & Friends Commencement Dinner, 4:30-7:30 pm, Turner Hall
• May 15 - Commencement Concert, 7:30 pm, MLC Auditorium
• May 16 - Graduation Service, 10:00 am, MLC Gymnasium
• May 16 - Call Service, 2:30 pm, MLC Gymnasium

Watch the livestreams on our YouTube channel!

Register today for the 34th annual MLC Golf Clasic!

Join us at the New Ulm Country Club on June 8 at 12:00 pm, and enjoy a day of golf in support of your WELS College of Ministry.

Questions? Contact Event Coordinator Beth Scharf at 920.757.5606 or events@mlc-wels.edu.

Calls Extended:

• Pastor Dustin Sievert (St. Croix LA) received a call to MLC to serve as admissions counselor and director of admissions.
• Mr. Matt Willems (Divine Savior Academy-Doral FL) received a call to MLC to serve as Athletic Director.
• Mr. Justin Walz (Wisconsin LHS) received a call to MLC to serve as head men’s basketball coach and an assistant athletic director.

Calls Received:

• Professor Dan Fenske (science) returned a call to Divine Savior Academy-Liberty Hill TX to teach science and STEM.
• Professor Greg Holzhueter (basketball coach, Academic Success Center director) accepted a two-year call to serve Saint Mark-Mankato MN as a half-time manager of ministry. Greg will continue to serve MLC half-time as director of our Academic Success Center.