Concordia Language Villages 2018-2019 Annual Report

CONCORDIA LANGUAGE VILLAGES | MAY 1, 2018–APRIL 30, 2019

INSPIRING COURAGEOUS GLOBAL CITIZENS SINCE 1961

NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL

David Oprava

Michael and Lorie Afremov

Cardiff, South Glamorgan, UK

Wayzata, Minn.

Jon and Sophie Pederson

Sarah and Scott Bjelde

Spicer, Minn.

Eden Prairie, Minn.

Steven Pollei and Solveig Storvick Pollei

Greg Cash

Tacoma, Wash.

Minnetonka, Minn.

Benjamin Squire

John Clemedtson

Topanga, Calif.

Moorhead, Minn.

John (Jack) Tunheim

Georg and Reidun Gauger

Minneapolis, Minn.

Mound, Minn.

Robert Waldron and Leona Werner

Clinton Gilliland and Mary Turner Gilliland

Edina, Minn.

Menlo Park, Calif.

Alfred Harrison and Ingrid Lenz Harrison

LEADERSHIP GROUP

Wayzata, Minn.

Alexander Arguelles

Keith Johanneson

Group Director

Bemidji, Minn.

Mark Chen

Ilya Katsnelson

Group Director

Copenhagen, Denmark

Nicole Ellis

Ross King

Associate Director of Marketing

Vancouver, B.C.

Martin Graefe

Kent Knutson

Senior Group Director and Director of Concordia Language Training Center

Washington, D.C.

Margaret Cuomo Maier Manhasset, N.Y.

Vivian Mason Minneapolis, Minn.

Dan and Cynthia Mjolsness Barrington Hills, Ill.

Hugh and Linda Mullenbach New Orleans, La.

David and Audrey Olsen Lake Elmo, Minn.

Kathy Jenson Director of Finance and Administrative Services

Christine Schulze Executive Director

Warren Schulze Director of Operations

Jennifer Speir Group Director

FROM CONCORDIA LANGUAGE VILLAGES

GREETINGS

COVER ARTWORK: DRUM AT SUP SOGŬI HOSU, THE KOREAN LANGUAGE VILLAGE

As we celebrate almost six decades of language and cultural immersion for thousands of participants of all ages, we are encouraging our alumni to “renew their passports.” The Village passports and name tags have been a part of the Village experience since our first summer in 1961.

Whenever we encounter former villagers and staff, we discover that many still have their very first name tag from decades ago, just as I do from my summer as a credit villager at El Lago del Bosque in 1970. So please join one of our gatherings for alumni and friends this year, as we’re eager to reconnect with you!

In this past year, we engaged with 10,500 youth, families, adults and teachers in creative and adventurous ways by “living the language.” Once again, our participants came from across all 50 of the United States and 34 countries. We added Persian to the roster of critical languages for the Concordia Language Training Center affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense … making this our 16th language offering.

We further developed our partnership with the Grumeti Fund in the Western Serengeti of Tanzania by expanding our English immersion day camps to 240 youth from surrounding rural elementary schools during the month of June. Alumni are invited to join the teaching teams. A natural extension was offering English language training to the adult employees of the Singita Corporation (safari company) on the Grumeti Reserve in the same area of Tanzania.

Your scholarship gifts ensure that young people have the means to explore a global pathway that might otherwise be out of reach for them financially. Your contributions to support program innovation and staff professional development keep the Language Villages on the cutting edge of immersion education. Your commitment to expanding and enhancing our culturally authentic Villages on the shores of Turtle River Lake brings our international community to life in northern Minnesota.

Simply said, thank you for your dedication to our mission of inspiring courageous global citizenship!

Christine Schulze Executive Director | Concordia Language Villages

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Concordia Language Villages extended their work with the Singita Corporation and Grumeti Fund in Tanzania by providing three two-week intensive English immersion sessions for the adult employees at the Singita luxury safari lodges in the Western Serengeti.

Executive Director Christine Schulze was the recipient of the “Excellence in Global Thinking” award from the Global Thinkers Forum. The award recognized Christine’s work in building bridges of global understanding.

The Concordia Language Training Center continued to expand its offerings to partners within the U.S. Department of Defense, including Army, Air Force, Navy and the National Guard. Persian Farsi was offered for the first time in 2018, but has grown into one of our highest-demand languages for professional-level trainings.

Concordia Language Villages alumni efforts were rebranded with the phrase “Renew Your Passport” to capture the memories of a classic element of the programming at the Villages since its beginning in 1961.

Alumni gatherings are popping up all over the map to reconnect with our nearly six decades of participants from around the world.

A sculpture of Lekamøya, an inspiring figure of courage and determination in a Norwegian folk legend, was installed in the center of the Syv Søstre (Seven Sisters) garden at Skogfjorden. The garden was built in memory of Ann Nelson, a former six-year villager who perished in the World Trade Towers on 9-11.

Language Discovery Programs (Twin Cities) surpassed the 2,000 villager enrollment mark, with partnerships in 16 school districts in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro. Language Discovery includes pre-K programs, after-school clubs and summer day camps in Chinese, French, Norwegian and Spanish, with approximately 40 staff members.

ENROLLMENT | 10,473

2018–2019 TOTAL ENROLLMENT FROM ALL 50 STATES AND 34 COUNTRIES

SUMMER YOUTH | 4,946 & FAMILIES

U.S. GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION Top Ten States 1. MINNESOTA

6. COLOR ADO

2. C ALIFORNIA

7. NEW YORK

3. ILLINOIS

8. VIRGINIA

4. WISCONSIN

9. IOWA

5. TEX AS

10. MARYL AND

.

JAPANESE 313

CHINESE

1,207

262

240

164

154 105

87

GERMAN 776

135

122

48

FRENCH

46

3,583 TOTAL ENROLLMENT

OTHER LANGUAGES

*English includes 240 youth taught in Tanzania

SWEDISH

PORTUGUESE

NORWEGIAN

KOREAN

ITALIAN

FINNISH

ENGLISH*

TOP FIVE LANGUAGES

DANISH

ARABIC

834

RUSSIAN

453

SPANISH

ACADEMIC YEAR | 5,527 & OTHER SUMMER PROGRAMS

ACADEMIC YEAR PROGRAM ENROLLMENT TOTALS *Language Discovery includes Twin Cities Day Camps, Pre-K, and After-school programs.

Concordia Language Villages has become a leader in providing a variety of programming for adults, families, school groups, educators, critical languages and the youngest of language learners.

GERMAN 331

NORWEGIAN 219

LANGUAGE TRAINING CENTER

158

EDUCATORS

184

LANGUAGE DISCOVERY*

2,200

FRENCH 678

SPANISH 3,586

CHINESE 277

TOP FIVE LANGUAGES 5,091 TOTAL ENROLLMENT

111 90

83

ADULTS

63

30

25

18

OTHER LANGUAGES

SWEDISH

RUSSIAN

1 PORTUGUESE

PERSIANFARSI

7 NORDIC

KOREAN

JAPANESE

FINNISH

ENGLISH**

8 ARABIC

364

**English includes 30 teachers and 60 adults taught in Tanzania

VILLAGE WEEKENDS FAMILIES

2,215 406

OPERATING FUND

FINANCIAL SUMMARY REVENUE Tuition and Fees $11,407,541 Charter School $212,532 Retail $300,017 Transportation $515,236 Gifts, Grants and Endowment $30,607 TOTAL $12,465,933

EXPENSES Salaries $5,601,729 Fringe $1,285,300 Services $2,803,694 Supplies $567,680 Cost of Sales $1,103,962 Equipment $56,419 Utilities $453,489 Maintenance $93,660 TOTAL $11,965,933 Balance of Revenue Over Expenses $500,000 DISPOSITION OF NET REVENUE Revenue (to College) for Unallocated College Services

$500,000

GIFT INCOME

SOURCE OF GIFTS Business Support $61,598 Foundation Support $849,272 Organizational Support $2,612 Foreign Entities $5,080,000 State of Minnesota/Federal $434,352 Individuals $536,891 TOTAL $6,964,725

ALLOCATION OF GIFTS Current Operations/Village Vision (Village Restricted Other) $826,859 Leadership Funds (Village Unrestricted) $24,033 Endowment Funds (Village Endowment) $180,928 Plant Funds (Village Capital) $5,379,725 Scholarship (Village Restricted Budget Relvg) $553,180 TOTAL $6,964,725

2018–2019

STAFF PROFILE North America Costa Rica

890 11

1

1

Haiti 1 Honduras 1 Mexico 11 United States

890

South America

1

Africa

Burkina Faso

1

1

Cameroon 4 Egypt 3

Argentina 25

Senegal 5

Brazil 1

Sudan 1

Colombia 6 Uruguay 1

Asia

Europe

China 41

6

1

Armenia 1

Austria 1

Iran 2

Denmark 4

Israel 2

Finland 9

Japan 8

France 4

Jordan 1

Germany 10

Kazakhstan 1

Italy 7

Qatar 1

Norway 3

Russia 11

Spain 5

Republic of Korea

Sweden 8

Syria 1

Ukraine 1

Taiwan 2

7

1

25

9 3

8

11

1

4

10 4

1

1

1 1

7

5

7

1 2

1

2

41

3 1

1

1

5 1

4

The staff who work in Language Village programs are drawn to the mission of the Villages and the opportunity to share their language and cultural expertise to villagers of all ages. Staff typically participate in a weeklong orientation where they develop the skills and techniques critical to helping villagers learn in a safe and fun environment.

1,080 Total Staff 190 International Staff 34 Countries

5 Continents

8

Sup sogŬi Hosu

THE KOREAN LANGUAGE VILLAGE JOINS SEVEN VILLAGES AT TURTLE RIVER LAKE

Following the announcement of a $5 million grant to Concordia Language Villages, plans are underway for the creation of the Korean Language Village site on Turtle River Lake, near Bemidji, Minn. This is the largest single gift to the Villages in its 59-year history. Buildings feature both contemporary and traditional Korean elements that embody the time-honored value of embracing nature through architectural design. The donation by Kenny and Simone Park and the Simone Corporation (Seoul, Korea) supports the first phase of construction of Sup sogŭi Hosu on an 875-acre tract of land on Turtle River Lake that houses seven other Language Villages.

The traditional Korean house, known as a hanok, is a solid one-level construction made of stone, wood and earth. Designed to be a part of its natural surroundings, a masterfully-constructed hanok can last for centuries, ventilated by careful arrangement and an astute understanding of wind flow. Sturdy, regularly placed posts support the weight of the structure, allowing a series of screen doors to shift into rooms that expand and contract in size according to need. It has been said that a hanok is a house that breathes, and that those who dwell here become a part of nature.

Although Korean architecture has changed to incorporate the conveniences of modern life, the geometric shapes and angles of the classical hanok, as well as the emphasis on harmony with nature, continue to occupy an important role in contemporary Korean design. The new Sup sogŭi Hosu site will similarly reflect this bridging between traditional aesthetics and modern-day functionality.

Archigroup MA, of Seoul, Korea, and LHB of Minneapolis, Minn., are the two architectural firms that have taken on the challenge of creating this culturally authentic Korean Language Village in the North Woods of Minnesota. Previous projects by Archigroup MA include the Sohsul Boutique Hotel in Seoul and the Songam Space Center Observatory. LHB of Minneapolis has an extensive history of creating sustainable school and naturecenterdesigns,includingtheNorthernStarBoyScoutCampatHistoric Fort Snelling.

The first phase of construction includes a dining hall and commercial kitchen, administrative complex, two villager cabins, soccer field and waterfront development. The second phase of construction will see additional cabins built, along with a dean’s residence, a cultural center and an activities building, including a martial arts room, art space, and a music room for learning kayagŭm (a zither-like instrument) and samul-nori drumming. A traditional Korean archery range is also planned.

We look forward to those first language-learning experiences on site as a Village!

DONOR SPOTLIGHT RICK AND SUSAN TAYLOR SPIELMAN FAMILY FUND MINNEAPOLIS FOUNDATION

Edwin Dehler-Seter, the Waldsee academic year dean, and Ted Taylor playing the alphorn at Waldsee.

In 2017, Waldsee lost one of its most beloved villagers: Ted Taylor, who began attending the German Adult Week in 2015 at the age of 92. This past year, Ted’s daughter Susan Spielman and her husband Rick decided to honor his legacy by making two major gifts to the German programs at Concordia Language Villages: one of $100,000 to build a fourth family cabin at Waldsee, and a second $100,000 as an endowed scholarship for Waldsee villagers of all ages.

“He was 92, and he drove up here all by himself his first year,” recalled Susan. “And of course when I came back with him, the second year, it was ‘Ted! You’re back!’ He was kind of a celebrity.”

Ted was a lifelong learner of German. As a professor of organic chemistry at Princeton University, he spent months at a time in Germany and Switzerland as a visiting professor, with his family along for the ride. He learned enough to be able to conduct entire lectures in German. His research into the chemistry of colors in butterfly wings led to the creation of an anti-cancer drug called Alimta, for which he held the patent.

Ted Taylor enjoying his time at Waldsee.

After the passing of his wife of 68 years, Ginnie, he moved to the Twin Cities to be closer to family. His delight in learning helped him connect with everyone around him, in Minnesota just as in New Jersey and in Europe. “Anybody he talked to, if they told him what they were doing, he would ask them more,” said Susan. “He was curious about everything.”

Ted’s legacy of curiosity will live on at the Language Villages as new generations of learners indulge their curiosity about German language and culture at Waldsee. “Because he loved it so much,” said Susan, “we thought, well, this is what he would want.”

A gift in honor of Ted Taylor, who became a German villager at the age of 92.

Susan Spielman and her father, Ted Taylor at Waldsee.

Susan and Rick Spielman standing in front of the fourth family cabin at Waldsee in honor of Ted.

CONCORDIA L A N G UAG E V I L L AG E S

In 1960, Gerhard Haukebo, a Concordia College faculty member, suggested the College initiate an experimental program using immersion techniques to teach language. The intent of the program was to teach young people about other languages and cultures, while giving Concordia students the opportunity to gain practical teaching experience.

Concordia College sponsored the project in the summer of 1961. The College rented Luther Crest Camp, north of Alexandria, Minn., for the first twoweek German session for 72 campers aged 9–12. By all accounts, it was a resounding success.

Interest in the program increased steadily and more “Villages” were added. Today 10,500 participants enroll in immersion programs in 16 languages.

Seven architecturally authentic sites on Turtle River Lake (near Bemidji, Minn.) support year-round programming for thousands of youth, adults and teachers every year.

A program of

901 8th St S Moorhead, MN 56562 (800) 222–4750 | clv@cord.edu ConcordiaLanguageVillages.org © 2019 Concordia Language Villages, Moorhead, Minnesota

600/1119