Merry Christmas from your alma mater

December 2021

Christmas at Concordia remains a true tradition for the university family. Click here to see more photos from the event.

“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”

Luke 2:10-11

Dear fellow alumni,

As many of you know, Christmas at Concordia is a time when the Concordia community comes together to celebrate the joy of Christmas! This may bring to mind fond memories of your time during Christmas… at Concordia. Perhaps you’re already recalling your part in the annual production, which bears that name.

Or, maybe you’re thinking back to those late-night pancakes that ushered in finals week as a tradition that indicated the semester would soon be over and Christmas routines could commence. You may be one of those alumni thinking back to campus Christmas parties, decorating the hallways, or simply sharing Christmas time stories and Christmas music with your friends over coffee during a class break or study session. We would love to hear about your memories and share them with other alumni. Please share your stories with us by emailing them here.

A multitude of memories are likely common to many of us. They unite us as Concordians. And, I don’t know about you, but the recent weekend concert and the freshly fallen snow on campus excites me because “it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas." So, as the decorations go up, the music is played, and we prepare for the coming of Christmas, let’s rejoice in the Good News of that angelic announcement of the first Noel!

I pray you and your family have a wonderful Christmas and blessed New Year!

May God’s joy and peace be yours.

Greg Witto '94

Director of Alumni and Parent Relations

Students become alumni in on-campus commencement

December 18

The university welcomes family members, friends, and guests to celebrate the achievements of our graduates at the 2021 Commencement. This ceremony recognizes both undergraduate and graduate degree candidates. Click here to learn more.

Well-known and well-liked staff member returns to CUW

Alumnus Jeff Frosch, a CUW admission counselor from 1997-2015, has accepted a newly-created enrollment position that will allow him the opportunity to return to his “work family” and represent both CUW and CUAA from his home in central Texas. For 18 years, Frosch was the face of CUW for prospective Lutheran students and their families. His trademark enthusiasm and ability to deeply connect with everyone around him made him a memorable and effective ambassador of Concordia. To learn more, click here.

Help plan your 50th class reunion

Attention, Class of 1972. We are currently planning your reunion and need your help. Will you volunteer to serve on the planning committee and help us reach out to your classmates? Please contact us at alumni@cuw.edu or via telephone at 262.243.2008.

CU Launch 2021: A big night for Concordia’s entrepreneurs

Students and alumni inventors and entrepreneurs from CUW and CUAA competed for cash prizes in our sixth annual CU Launch event. Student participants included a husband and wife team, a high school sophomore from West Bend East, a freshman from CUAA, and a student enrolled in the Bethesda College program on the CUW campus. The innovations were part of the university’s CU Launch program, in which members of our CUWAA community interested in entrepreneurship have the opportunity to learn about business basics and then create and pitch their own idea to market. To learn more, click here.

Pictured above right: Entrepreneurs Kamilla Mekhtieva (CUW ’23) and Ivan Gwyer (CUW ’23).

Sharing the light of Christ in COVID isolation

Lily Atwood (’25) made the most of her time in isolation by going the extra mile to inspire others who might later find themselves in her position. “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24 is the favorite Bible verse of this hospitality and event business major from Sheldon, IL. So, when faced with COVID-19 isolation in Chemnitz Hall earlier this semester, she didn’t just take these words to heart. She put them into action. Click here to see how.

Advent meditations created by CUWAA faculty and staff

The Arrival of a Savior For All is a collection of individual meditations, composed by members of the Concordia University community on its Wisconsin and Michigan campuses. It is our prayer that you will approach this Advent season with newfound anticipation and enthusiasm through the Holy Spirit. That same anticipation and enthusiasm is embedded in the mission of Concordia University and is what drives the work of the university each and every day. To read the meditations, click here.

Because of YOU, the show went on!

Christmas at Concordia has been a much-loved tradition here at the university for 30 years. The anticipated Christmas event showcases our students' talents and is enjoyed by an audience of alumni, students, friends and community members. But the show could not go on without the many donors who support our music department and music students through scholarships. Thank you to each of these music benefactors. Please click here to see the program; our many music supporters are on page 13.