August 2023

"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

- Philippians 1:3-6

Dear fellow alumni,

No, you didn’t miss the entire fall season and somehow catapult into the Christmas music season… And correct again, Christmas in July has come and gone. However, I do want to share what I mean when I say in the title of the email, “the most wonderful time of the year” as it relates to your alma mater.

First, the summer brought together so many alumni at various events and activities to celebrate relationships. Nearly 500 CUW alumni and guests attended one of our Lakeshore Chinooks alumni games and/or the Madison Mallards event. Hundreds more attended the national conventions for the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML) and the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS), both hosted in Milwaukee. Just this past week, many more Lutheran educator alumni attended the Concordia Summit. It was a real pleasure to gather with so many alumni and celebrate the partnership we share--the Concordia Community!

The other part of this wonderful time of year encompasses the start of another academic year -- No. 143 to be exact. Students are already arriving and preparations are in full swing for another year of developing them to serve Christ in the Church and the world!

Along with a new year comes new opportunities for students and alumni alike to grow and learn. Our new CUW Alumni Mentoring Program will launch this fall. We celebrate a 50th reunion with the JC class of 1973. And Welcome Back Weekend provides a great experience for alumni and families to return to campus and reconnect.

Please read on for more updates and opportunities and I look forward to what is in store for this new year. Please join me as we lift up CUW in prayer at the start of a new school year.

God’s peace be yours,

Greg Witto '94

Director of Alumni and Parent Relations

Greg.Witto@cuw.edu

Attention Class of 1973! Save-the-date for your reunion

October 5-6

We invite alumni from the JC Class of 1973 to reconnect with classmates and friends during their 50th reunion on the CUW campus, October 5-6. High school graduates of the Class of 1971 are also invited to join this event.

This two-day event will provide ample opportunities for fellowship, reminiscing, and sharing. Alumni will have the chance to tour the Milwaukee campus and see the changes that have taken place since they attended.

Consider staying for the weekend to also celebrate the annual Welcome Back Weekend on the Mequon campus.

Now is the time to provide items for the Class of 1973 Bio Book. The deadline for filling out the Bio Book survey is Friday, September 15. Please click here to fill out the survey.

Your class is raising funds to benefit juniors and seniors at CUW majoring in church work through the established Alumni 50th Reunion Scholarship Endowment. You will hear more about this at the event.

Pictured right: Your 1973 Reunion Committee: Karen (Nemmetz) Fischer, Rev. Dr. Don Fondow, Rev. Dr. Dwayne Lueck, and Steve Wachs.

Class Theme: Blessed Beyond Measure --

"For from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace." John 1:16

Concordia High School 1973 class celebrates on campus

Members of the Concordia High School 1973 class recently got together to celebrate their 50th reunion at a Chinooks game on campus. Click here to see the photos and check to see if there is anyone you recognize!

Special thanks goes to Steve Muther for organizing the reunion, which also included a tour. Members of the class and their families are invited to reconnect with former classmates during Welcome Back Weekend October 6-8 on the Mequon Campus. Click here for more information.

CUW seeks alumni mentors for new student mentorship program

You have wisdom to share. Why not share it with a Concordian?

The benefits of mentorship are widely documented and far-reaching – both for the mentee and the mentor. That’s why CUW is pleased to launch a new university-wide mentorship program to support students in their vocations and prepare them for their next steps after graduation. The CUW Alumni Mentor Program aims to establish meaningful, personal, and professional coaching relationships between current CUW students and alumni. The new program will begin this academic year. It will officially kick off with a “launch event” on September. 20. For more information, click here.

Alumnus grateful for Concordia's influence

1964 alumnus Raymond "Skip" Eissfeldt (pictured with his wife, Denise Novak) credits the values he learned at Concordia Junior College for his successful business. He believes in giving back and has established two scholarship endowments to help students at his alma mater. He said he is proud to be a graduate of Concordia and encourages all alumni to return to campus to see how the school has flourished. To read more about Skip, click here.

CUW names chair of new engineering department

CUW is pleased to announce Dr. Subha Kumpaty as chair of the Engineering Department. CUW announced last year the addition of new chemical and industrial engineering programs to its long list of STEM offerings. This newest department will launch this fall. Click here to read more.

Presidential inauguration:

Looking back, looking forward, hearts together

September 29

Save the date for the inauguration of new CUWAA president, Dr. Erik Ankerberg. Festivities will take place an entire week, culminating with the inauguration service on Friday, September 29, at 2 p.m. in the R. John Buuck Field House on campus. The event will also be livestreamed. For additional information and a detailed schedule of all of the festivities, click here.

Alumni are also invited to join the ceremony as special guests in the processional to represent their classmates and others from their decade. All interested alumni are asked to contact us at 262.243.4544 or alumni@cuw.edu.

Want to work for your alma mater?

Want to work for your alma mater, or do you know someone who might want to? Take a look at the job listings by clicking here. There are two open positions that will enable you to work with our alumni -- a Director of Donor Relations and an Administrative Assistant for Alumni and Advancement.

We look forward to hearing from interested alumni.

Turning self-doubt into growth

When considering starting or returning to college as an adult, an all-too-familiar companion often lurks in the shadows – self-doubt. It’s that nagging voice inside that questions our abilities, worthiness, and potential, leaving us cautious and uncertain. But what if we could transform this seemingly negative force into a catalyst for growth? Click here to read more.

Seeking 2023 Hall of Fame nominations

The William C. Ackmann Memorial Athletic Hall of Fame was founded in 1995 to honor the most celebrated athletes of Concordia University Wisconsin. It is named after beloved and legendary Coach William C. Ackmann. After graduating from the St. Louis Seminary and serving in parish ministry, Coach Ackmann began his tenure at Concordia in 1928. He was both a visionary and a leader, coaching basketball and serving as CUW’s Athletic Director.

Do you know an exceptional CUW athlete alum or someone who has positively impacted CUW’s athletics? Nominate them for the Athletic Hall of Fame using our online nomination form.