June 2020
CUAA's 2020-21 theme: Unchanging
" Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever .”
- Hebrews 13:8
Graduating senior Jess Russ addresses her class at the virtual degree ceremony We welcome our 164 Graduates to the CUAA Alumni Family!
Dear fellow alumni,
 
May the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. We continue to pray you are safe and well.
 
A huge welcome to the Class of 2020 graduates who are now officially part of our alumni family. This edition features lots of links to their stories and virtual celebrations; check out their accomplishments! God’s special protection and blessing on all of you.
 
In the midst of the turmoil and change caused by COVID-19, and with the civil protests and ongoing unrest in our nation and world, we come before the LORD and pray for peace, healing, and a unified path forward. President Ferry wrote an inspiring Message to all Concordians , with the assurance that we “will be part of the change our communities seek.” Alumni are encouraged to be part of the change through sharing your ideas, resources, and prayers within our CUAA community and wherever you live. Please send me an email if you would like to submit a special prayer request, or if you would enjoy receiving recommendations for further reading.
 
As of this writing, we intend to resume face-to-face instruction on campus this fall. Our students have already chosen the theme for our upcoming academic year, and it so perfectly speaks to our hearts: Unchanging , based on Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” May this verse be a reminder of the strength and certainty we have in our God.
 
Christ First in Everything!
Linda (Schramke) Sproul ‘92
Director of Donor and Alumni Relations
KNOWN by Name:
Faculty, staff make video for each graduate
When graduation takes place in uncommon times, we take uncommon measures. More than 80 members of the CUAA community contributed to a congratulatory video and offered personalized messages for each and every spring 2020 graduate. Take a look here .
Together we can
make a difference
Every segment of society has been heavily impacted by COVID-19, Concordia included. Together, we can recover. Please consider CUAA among the organizations worthy of your support. Alumni gifts help to provide student financial aid packages enabling them to remain enrolled, and to keep on delivering a “top-drawer” Christian education just like the one we had. Whether you give a little or a lot, together we can make a big difference! Contributions to our Concordia Fund allow your gift to go immediately where it is needed the most. Prayerfully consider giving online or mailing a check to: CUAA Office of Advancement 4090 Geddes Rd Ann Arbor, MI 48105. Please contact Linda Sproul with any questions or for other ways to give. Thank you for supporting your alma mater!
First SOE virtual happy
hour a success
Last month, our School of Education hosted its first Alumni Virtual Happy Hour. We were blessed to have a range of graduates from the Class of 1968 all the way to the Class of 2019. Discussion topics ranged from concerns for students who struggle with food insecurity, to plans to implement trauma-informed practices in the classroom, to logistics of worship planning during a global pandemic. Some of the teachers shared “Zoom Fails," or moments when virtual learning didn’t go quite as planned, so obviously we had to laugh together. Although our alumni are all over the place vocationally and
geographically, their “teacher hearts” came through via Zoom so clearly. Gathering together enriched our sense of Concordia: being of one heart. Check out our CUAA School of Education Facebook page for updates on our next happy hour!
Earning college credits while in high school
Do you have a high school student looking to get a jump start on college or know a student who is ready for the challenge of college level courses? Concordia University’s pre-college program offers high school students (grades 9-12) opportunities to earn college credits while still in high school at a fraction of the traditional undergraduate cost. Our courses can be completed online or on campus at Ann Arbor. For more information on course offerings and applying, please contact Sarah Kitterman via email or 262-243-4542. Also take a look at the information online.
From our Michigan District: Donations, flood buckets, and hygiene kits needed
Several counties in Michigan have recently experienced effects of flooding. The Michigan District's Lutheran Early Response Teams (LERT) has stepped up to assist. Flood buckets and hygiene kits have been delivered to the affected areas and more will be needed! Please consider assembling buckets or kits. Click here for assembly instructions and how you can support LERT's efforts. If you wish to make a monetary donation, visit  here a nd click on the Donate to Flood Relief button. 
CUAA students give hope, serve others, and change lives
The newer bachelor’s of social work program at CUAA is growing. We expect to have more than 20 student majors through junior year in fall 2020, and recently celebrated the first BSW program graduate, Liz Larsen , in May. We are attracting more and more students who seek to give hope, serve others and change lives at a university with a Christian foundation. These are special students as they are planning to dedicate their lives to serving others in need. To read more and support scholarships for these students, click here .
Concordia nursing goes above and beyond to administer virtual education
“We had to pivot. We just had to. Once our nursing students are done with the program, we do not get them back. It’s our job as educators to make sure they still fulfill the obligations of their classes.” —Kathie Pereira,  #CUAA  School of Nursing Skills Lab Director

How are they doing it? Read to find out!
CEAPsakes Corner
(Career Engagement Activation Programming)
Career Engagement is excited for the summer months and looking forward to our strategic planning for this upcoming fall semester. As a reminder, we are fully operational over the summer for all of our current students and alumni! We are currently exploring an adulting series including car maintenence and financial management lessons for the fall. We are open to suggestions from our alumni based on their experience transitioning from a student to fulfilling their calling in the workforce. Please send suggestions to Alisha Anderson . s
Thoughts from
Campus Pastor Randy Duncan
Each morning during the school year, our campus pastor, Randy Duncan, sends out an email full of inspirational thoughts, concepts to ponder, scripture, and prayer requests. We thought we would share some of his thoughts with you each month for us to contemplate.

Final thought: Something will grow from all you are going through. And it will be you.
Save the date
Due to the uncertainty brought to us by the coronavirus, please stay tuned to our event listing on the CUAA website for updates regarding upcoming events.