CLV Annual Report FY26 by Concordia College

2026 ANNUAL REPORT

CONCORDIA LANGUAGE VILLAGES | MAY 1, 2025-APRIL 30, 2026

GREETINGS FROM CONCORDIA LANGUAGE VILLAGES

Dear Friends of Concordia Language Villages, Looking ahead is an important part of our work at Concordia Language Villages, but so is taking time to celebrate the progress and resilience that have brought us to this moment. Throughout 2025-2026, we continued the work begun through our Transform to Innovate initiative, refining our priorities and taking steps toward a stronger and more sustainable future. Together with Concordia College, we clarified a strategic direction centered on sustaining immersion experiences, expanding year-round opportunities, strengthening partnerships, enhancing alumni and donor engagement, and ensuring operational excellence across our organization. While strategic planning helped shape our future, the events of summer 2025 reminded us what makes the villages special: our people. In late June 2025, the Bemidji area was struck by a powerful derecho that caused widespread regional damage and left our site without power. While we were fortunate to avoid significant structural damage, the storm presented immediate challenges for our summer programs. Staff worked tirelessly to adapt, communicate with families, and ensure villagers continued to experience the cultural immersion that defines life at the villages. Their dedication reflected the very best of our community and demonstrated a deep commitment to our mission. Moments like these reinforce why Concordia Language Villages has remained strong for more than six decades. Every day, young people arrive eager to learn new languages, explore different cultures, and build friendships that broaden their understanding of the world. Thanks to our staff, volunteers, families, alumni, and supporters, those experiences continue to thrive. Even beyond the close of this fiscal year, important developments have reinforced our optimism. Concordia College recently received a $1.5 million federal grant to restart the work of the Language Training Center. We have also increased our year-round site utilization through the launch of The Villages, making CLV a destination for events and rental activity. These developments reflect our commitment to innovation, stewardship, and mission-driven impact. Thank you for believing in the power of language and cultural immersion. Your support helps create experiences that foster curiosity, understanding, and global citizenship. As we look toward the future, we remain committed to creating a place where languages come to life and meaningful connections across cultures continue to flourish. With gratitude,

Susan Larson Executive Director | Concordia Language Villages 2

NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL

LEADERSHIP GROUP

Michael and Lorie Afremov

Steven Pollei and Solveig Storvick Pollei

Kyle Chones

Sarah and Scott Bjelde

Christine Schulze

Ellen Frierson

Wayzata, Minnesota

Eden Prairie, Minnesota

Greg Cash

Minnetonka, Minnesota

Andre Gauger

Covington, Louisiana

Keith Johanneson Bemidji, Minnesota

Ilya Katsnelson

Copenhagen, Denmark

Ross King

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Anne Linnee

Bloomington, Minnesota

Margaret Cuomo Maier Manhasset, New York

David and Audrey Olsen Lake Elmo, Minnesota

Sophie Pederson Spicer, Minnesota

Tacoma, Washington

Moorhead, Minnesota

Site Director

Program Director

Benjamin Squire

Dallas Fossum

Friday Harbor, Washington

Associate Vice President of Facilities Management

JoAnn True

Martin Graefe

Casper, Wyoming

John “Jack” Tunheim

Former Senior Program Director Former Director of Concordia Language Training Center

Robert Waldron and Leona Werner

Former Program Director

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Amanda Hand

Edina, Minnesota

Candace Harmon

EMERITUS: Georg Gauger

Marc Johnson

Director of Media Relations and Communications Director of Development

Mound, Minnesota

Clinton Gilliland and Mary Turner Gilliland Menlo Park, California

Alfred Harrison and Ingrid Lenz Harrison Wayzata, Minnesota

Susan Larson

Executive Director

Gay Rawson

Director of External Relations and Strategic Initiatives

Jon Suomala

David Oprava

Director of Finance and Administrative Services

Mineola, New York

Danielle Thorson

Human Resources Business Partner

Molly Steenson

Minneapolis, Minnesota

STAFF PROFILE AFRICA 599 Burkina Faso TOTAL STAFF

INTERNATIONAL STAFF

COUNTRIES

Congo Morocco

ASIA

Bangladesh China Korea Russia Taiwan Turkmenistan

EUROPE

Austria Denmark Finland France Germany Italy Norway Poland Portugal Spain Sweden United Kingdom

NORTH AMERICA Canada El Salvador Honduras Mexico United States

SOUTH AMERICA Argentina Colombia

CONTINENTS 3

4,571

2025-26

TOTAL ENROLLMENT

SUMMER YOUTH & ADULTS | 2,890

TOP FIVE SUMMER LANGUAGES | 2,171

OTHER LANGUAGES | 719

SPANISH 820 NORWEGIAN

FRENCH 491

190

DANISH 19

GERMAN 441

PORTUGUESE

KOREAN

CHINESE 217

120

ARABIC 41

JAPANESE 202

ITALIAN 56

FINNISH 71

SWEDISH RUSSIAN

116

U.S. GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION

TOP TEN ENROLLMENT STATES 1.

MINNESOTA

6. NEW YORK

2. CALIFORNIA

COLORADO

3. WISCONSIN

8. NORTH DAKOTA

4. ILLINOIS

9. TEX AS

5. VIRGINIA

10. IOWA

ACADEMIC YEAR PROGRAM ENROLLMENT TOTALS ADULTS 596 YOUTH 193 VILLAGE WEEKENDS 880 LANGUAGE TRAINING CENTER 12

ACADEMIC YEAR | 1,681 & OTHER SUMMER PROGRAMS

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

TOP FIVE ACADEMIC YEAR PROGRAMS | 1,429

RUSSIAN

NORWEGIAN

JAPANESE 20

KOREAN 23

FINNISH 88 OTHER* 113

CHINESE

NORDIC

FRENCH 168

SWEDISH

GERMAN 310

OTHER PROGRAMS | 252

SPANISH 750 *Women’s Self-Care and Rejuvenation Weekend, Multi Village Field Trip Schoolcraft, Open Mindset Program, and Multilingual and Multicultural College Weekend

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

German Language Village’s 65th and Tikkun Olam Dedication

Russian Language Village celebrates 60th anniversary

CLV marked 65 years of programming with a celebration at Waldsee, with a reunion and dedication of the Waldsee Inspiration Circle: Tikkun Olam. Developed in response to the discovery of the German word Waldsee’s historical connection to the Holocaust, the site invites reflection, engagement, and action. Its design features a pomegranate, a Jewish symbol of hospitality, love, and blessing, surrounded by three German words: besinnen (reflect), begegnen (engage) and bewegen (take action). Informational panels and curriculum support meaningful conversations for villagers of all ages. Read more at CLVmn.org/news.

Concordia Language Villages celebrated the 60th anniversary of Лесное Озеро Lesnoe Ozero with a special gathering of villagers, families, alumni, and friends from near and far. The celebration brought generations of the village community together through familiar songs, shared stories, laughter, and memories. The anniversary celebrated six decades of creating meaningful connections to Russian language and culture and the lasting friendships formed at the forest lake.

Teacher of the Year We’re thrilled to share that Linda Wallenberg — longtime dean, current staff member, and absolute staple at Sjölunden Swedish Language Village — was named the 2025 Minnesota Teacher of the Year! Linda brings so much light, laughter, and joy to everything she does. Whether leading songs at Allsång, dancing around the midsommarstång, or just making each villager feel seen and celebrated, she embodies the spirit of Sjölunden. Her love for teaching and connecting with others shines in every classroom she enters — at the village and beyond.

Inaugural College Weekend In October, Concordia Language Villages hosted its inaugural Multilingual and Multicultural College Weekend, bringing students from Concordia College, Oklahoma State University, and Beloit College to Bemidji for a weekend of language immersion, cultural activities and community. Students participated in Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Italian, and Spanish, along with global meals, games, campfires, songs, and other village traditions.

CLV Mini-Doc Concordia Language Villages was featured on Prairie Public Television’s “Prairie Mosaic” show. The segment showcased how CLV lives its mission to inspire courageous global citizens. Watch the story at CLVMN.org/News.

FINANCIAL SUMMARY OPERATING FUND

GIFT AND GRANT INCOME SOURCES OF GIFTS AND GRANTS Business and Organizational Support Foundation Support Foreign Entities State of Minnesota/Federal Individuals TOTAL

$ 27,503 $ 640,610 $ 405,790 $ 669,135 $ 963,291 $ 2,706,329

ALLOCATION OF GIFTS AND GRANTS Current Operations/Village Vision (Village Restricted Other) $ 934,721 Leadership Funds (Village Unrestricted) $ 290,485 Endowment Funds (Village Endowment) $ 55,490 Plant Funds (Village Capital) $ 1,146,652 Scholarship (Village Restricted Budget Relieving) $ 278,981 TOTAL

$ 2,706,329

REVENUE Tuition and Fees $ 7,889,767 Retail $ 373,898 Transportation $ 363,506 Gifts, Grants, and Endowment $ 300,519 TOTAL

$ 8,927,690

EXPENSES Salaries Fringe Services Supplies Cost of Sales Equipment Utilities Transfer to Reserves Non-Mandatory Transfers

$ 4,088,153 $ 1,232,797 $ 1,691,336 $ 273,956 $ 821,555 $ 58,120 $ 385,791 $ 172,500 $ (25,000)

TOTAL

$ 8,699,208

Revenue Less Expenses

$ 228,482

DISPOSITION OF NET REVENUE Revenue to College for Unallocated College Services $ 228,482 7

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, Minnesota, for the first two-week 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, thousands of participants enroll in immersion programs in 14 languages, in both residential and virtual sessions. Nine architecturally authentic sites on Turtle River Lake (near Bemidji, Minnesota) support year-round programming for thousands of youth, adults, and teachers every year.