KnightWatch - January 2008

knightwatch M a rt in Lu t h e r Coll e ge

JANUARY 2008

january 2008

MLC

• MLC by the Numbers • Which Way Are You Leaning?

• Six Months in Beautiful Brazil

NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID OWATONNA, MN 55060 PERMIT #110

But what about

That Call Day Thing?

Maybe you’re seriously thinking about coming to MLC to study for the public ministry. But maybe you have some serious reservations. Is getting assigned one of them? I’ve already heard a number of you express that fear.

You’re not sure you want to entrust your future career (location and position) to an assignment committee. You want some say in the matter, some control.

Let me share a personal story. Shortly before I graduated from the seminary and was assigned to my first call, the seminary president called me into his office for a oneon-one talk. (He did this with all the seminary seniors.) He wanted to know my thoughts on where I could best serve in Christ’s church.

But here’s the kicker: four short years later I received a call to serve as an exploratory pastor in the southwest Denver metropolitan area. Big city? Exploratory? No way, right?

Wrong. I accepted that call! Amazingly, over four short years, the Lord had completely changed my mindset toward exploratory work.

In the last issue of KnightWatch MLC President Mark Zarling wrote: “It’s humbling to think that God knows how to use us better than we know how to use ourselves.” That’s so true!

Pastor Ross Stelljes, MLC Admissions Counselor

I remember questions such as these: Do you think your God-given talents would best fit in a rural setting, or suburban, or urban? Large congregation or small? Established congregation or exploratory/ mission setting?

I also remember my answers: rural/small town setting; small, established congregation. And I also remember silently praying NOT to be assigned as an exploratory pastor. I was sure that such work was not for me.

Turns out I was actually assigned twice: first as a tutor at Northwestern College; then, two years later, to a dual parish: rural/small town setting; small congregations, both of which had been around for about 120 years.

So, I wound up in almost the exact setting I had thought I should!

On our cover: Tiffany Pringle (MLS), Kandi Schafer (MLS), and Cecilia Diaz Delgadillo (Colegia de Los Angeles, Colombia) take a picture of themselves in our first big snow—and Cecilia’s first snowstorm ever.

KnightWatch is published by Martin Luther College and is intended to inform, inspire, and motivate young people who are considering enrolling at MLC to prepare for public ministry in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.

Comments are welcomed and should be directed to Martin Luther College, Attn: Laurie Gauger 1995 Luther Court New Ulm, MN 56073

Vice President, Enrollment Management: Phil Leyrer Director of Admissions: Ron Brutlag Admissions Counselors: Sarah Zahrt, Mark Gnewuch, Ross Stelljes, Dustin Sievert Editor/Writer: Laurie Gauger Photographer: Bill Pekrul Proofreader: Heidi Schoof

M a r t i n L u t h e r C o ll e g e

Unique In Purpose—Unique In Preparation

Martin luther College “I wanted to go to a smaller college so I would not be so overwhelmed. MLC just feels so homey, like you’re one big family. I also really wanted to continue playing football. Football was a great time—to have fun, to play the sport I love, and to meet new people. It also taught me a lot of patience and perseverance; if I wanted to play at all I had to work hard.”

Thad Flitter

We have to be honest: Students come to MLC for all different reasons. Some are absolutely sure they want to be a pastor, teacher, or staff minister. Many aren’t.

Some come here because they want the atmosphere of a small Lutheran college. Or they have friends up here. Or their parents went here. Or they want to play football.

And sometimes they decide that the ministry is just not in their future, and they transfer somewhere else. We’re just fine with that. More often, however, they

thadf litter

find themselves excited about a future of fulltime gospel ministry. They discover that MLC was the right place for them all along.

Freshman Pre-Seminary Studies Great Plains Lutheran High School Football

1995 Luther Court • New Ulm, MN 56073

mlc-wels.edu

This Mountain’s Ours!

MLC grads and fellow vicars Dan Bondow ‘04, Jesse Stern ‘03, and Tom Engelbrecht ‘04 climbed 14,433-foot Mt. Elbert, the highest peak in Colorado, and raised the flag, claiming it for Martin Luther College. The three Colorado vicars worked at the Rocky Mountain Christian Camp, an outdoor adventure camp that welcomed 150 campers and junior counselors.

Rocky Mountain Christian Camp

MLC students Emily Thomas (Rocky Mountain High School, Fort Collins CO) and Laura Merklinger (Heritage High, Littleton CO), as well as admissions counselor Ross Stelljes, also assisted at the camp. The camp has requested six MLC students to help next year—and maybe Zoe the yellow lab will drop by too.

Zoe

MLC Students Take Lead Matt Steingraber (Fox Valley LHS), Sara Borck (Lakeside LHS), and Meredith Milbrath (Michigan Lutheran Seminary) spent 10 weeks as ministry assistants in Georgia at neighboring churches, Hope, McDonough GA, and Faith, Sharpsburg GA. For several weeks, they shared their work—and their experience—with Lutheran high school students from Lakeside and Luther Prep who came down to Georgia to canvass with them.

Students from Luther Prep and MLC who canvassed in Georgia

“I enjoyed having them there,” Matt Steingraber said. “We paired up with the younger kids, and we tried to take the lead and show them the ropes.”

“It was great,” said Tyler Guenterberg (Lakeside), “because we got to watch the students from Martin Luther College share their faith, and it made it easier for us to talk about our own faith.”

This year three of the LPS students, Chris Bartsch, Matt Naig, and Karen Vick, are freshmen at MLC. The other three, Heather Morgan, Brian Polfer, and Mara Mueller, are LPS seniors, and Tyler Guenterberg and Taylor Schneider are juniors at Lakeside.

Pastor Clark Schultz and Lakeside students Tyler Guenterberg and Taylor Schneider, who volunteered in Georgia

MLC by the Numbers

2 1 27 0 1 90 30 10:45

0

miles to Mall of America states our students hail from chapel time every morning price of 11 pm pizza made-to-order in our cafeteria

1 fishing hole on campus

2

2

30 2127 3.46

ducks in said fishing hole famous Germans depicted in statues (Luther, Hermann) students in Student Senate ACT code M aof r tfreshman i n L u t hclass e r C o ll e g e average GPA

We Will Jump

Like Kangaroos If you’ve been to MLC athletic events, you’ve probably seen the so-weird-it’s-cool Kangaroo Song. It all started seven years ago when (now Pastor) Paul Biedenbender (MLC ’01) and some other guys were driving back from a Nebraska vs. Kansas State football game, totally impressed with the student section cheering, and brainstorming similar ideas for MLC. “They were all just as dumb as the idea of the kangaroo,” he says, “but that one just seemed to flesh out the fastest.” He and the other male cheerleaders introduced it at the first basketball pep fest and kept pushing it until it stuck. “I think what made it go over the top was the introduction of a beautiful, pink, inflatable kangaroo, who has since been violently laid to rest, if I heard correctly—victim of a mysterious stab wound. Maybe CSI: MLC could investigate.”

It’s now a campus classic, sung to the tune of “Go, Tell It on the Mountain,” and accompanied by outrageous jumping.

Give it a whirl:

We’re the Knights of MLC. We’re gonna run to victory!

We’re the Knights of MLC, The Red, the Black, the White.

On the field or on the court, We will run and play some sports.

If we win or if we lose, We will jump like Kangaroos! (start jumping) We’re the Knights of MLC . . . * By the way, if you’re interested in a free Roo Crew t-shirt, find the four hidden kangaroos in this issue and email their locations to gaugerlf@mlc-wels.edu. (Hint: The first one is right on the cover.) We’ll send a free t-shirt to the first five people who send us the correct answers.

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MLC by the Numbers

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16 NCAA DIII sports for men and women 14 intramural sports 4 residence halls 16 cereal varieties in cafeteria 11:1 student:faculty ratio 1:1 guy: girl ratio 1.7 million dollars awarded in financial aid 95 percent of students who received financial aid 002361 FAFSA code

Brushes with Greatness

Dan Albrecht (Fox Valley LHS), Ryan Kolander (Wisconsin LHS), Brent Miller (Traverse City Central), and Luke Beilke (Minnesota Valley LHS), as well as MLC grads Pastor Paul Seager ‘96 and Pastor Jon Scharf ’97, worked at the Reebok 2007 Heroes Celebrity Baseball Game in Frisco TX last June. They prepared the field and handed out uniforms to celebs including Mike Modano, Brenden Morrow, Rollie Fingers, Wade Boggs, Roy Williams, DeMarcus Ware, Elton Brand, Bryan Greenberg, Josh Henderson, Geoff and George Stults, Kyle Massey, and Evan Jones.

Don’t Be Fooled!

When it comes to college tuition, your initial look at the numbers might fool you.

Let’s say the tuition of one college is $8,000 and another is $12,000. You’d think the $8,000 college would be less expensive, but that may not be true.

You need to look past the tuition numbers to the entire package each college offers you: scholarships, grants, loans. Don’t be fooled: What a college costs on paper is not necessarily what that college will cost you.

Another thing to remember: Higher price does not mean higher quality. For example, many people believe that the most expensive basketball shoes must be the best basketball shoes. Knowing this, a shoe company might raise the price of their shoes so that more people will buy them. The theory holds for colleges as well. Don’t be fooled: The more expensive college may not be the higher-quality college.

Bottom line: Although cost may be an important factor in your college choice, don’t be fooled by your first look at the numbers. Take a closer look at the whole financial picture, and you might be surprised at how things

add up.

College Choir Destination: Mexico Christians in Mexico have never seen or heard the Martin Luther College Choir, but that is about to change. During March the choir, directed by Dr. Kermit Moldenhauer, will tour Arizona, Texas, and—for the first time in history—Mexico. Lutherans in Zaragosa Sur, Torreón, and Monterrey will hear a concert program including songs they’ve requested: “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” in English; some Spanish hymns, including “Vengo a ti, Jesús amado”; and two Mexican folksongs: “Cielito Lindo” and “Las Mananitas.”

The Martin Luther College Choir is open to all sophomores, juniors, and seniors by audition. They sing for concerts and worship services, and they tour a region of North America every year.

The MLC Type

There’s no typical MLC student. Yes, they’re all studying for the ministry, but beyond that, they’re as varied as the bugs in your grill. Rumor has it, for instance, that . . .

• • • • • • • • •

Lloyd Harter (Luther High) has a black belt in karate.

Alex Chworowsky (LPS) is a fluent Mandarin speaker.

Nicco Barber (LPS) is a published author.

Johannes Pihlajamaa (Sunnerbogymnasiet) is a Swedish car mechanic—not to mention the fact that his high school’s name is Sunnerbogymnasiet.

Tiffany Pringle (MLS) plays the bagpipes. (We have pictures!)

Micah Ricke (WISCO) will work as a wrangler at a dude ranch next summer.

Drew Sonnenberg (WISCO) is a songwriter and guitarist for a ska band.

Evan Chartrand (LPS) is a swim team coach.

April Alonte & Emily Rasmussen (both WISCO) taught vacation Bible school in Siberia.

The Martin Luther College Wind Symphony presented a joint concert November 18 with the Minnesota River Valley Wind Ensemble, playing the works of Gustav Holst, Franck Ticheli, Percy Grainger, John Philip Sousa, and Claude Debussy.

And what about you? If you think you’re not the MLC type, think again— because we’re pretty sure there is no MLC type. Just people who want to serve their Lord and their church with whatever gifts they have.

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MLC by the Numbers

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875 seats in our auditorium 331 piano/organ students this fall 50 acres of campus 4 average hours per day of in-class time 2 mullets on campus this year

24 hours per day dormitories are securely locked 196 people on campus who know some Greek 1 black cat who lived on campus 6 toes on each front paw of said black cat M aused r t i nupL u t h e r C o ll e g e 9 lives said cat has

Jesus Cares and So Does MLC MLC students Katie Spaude (pictured, Antigo HS—Antigo WI), Kelley Bushong (MLS), Beth Snyder (Holmen HS—Holmen WI), Jessica Schiemann (LPS), Stephanie Humann (Evergreen LHS), Rebecca Meyer (NELHS), and Nicole Roper (Redwing HS—Redwing MN), as well as Alumni Director Steve Balza, assisted at the Joy in Jesus 2007 retreat for people with a developmental disability (pictured) near Waterville MN last September. The retreat is run jointly by the MN District Special Ministries and Jesus Cares Ministries of The Lutheran Home Association in Belle Plaine.

Each student was paired with one or two of the campers. They taught Bible lessons, sang songs, and did crafts. “Whether it was finding things on the Scavenger Hunt or reading a devotion to them before bed, students and campers became ‘buddies’ for the weekend,” Katie said.

If you come to MLC, watch for the invitation to help at this camp. You’ll find, as Katie did, that “It’s a life-enriching and faith-strengthening experience.”

We’re Off to See the Wizard!

November’s production of The Wizard of Oz featured a whole lotta munchkins, a funky wizard contraption, and the everlovable Scarecrow, Lion, Tin man, Dorothy, and her little dog, Toto, too!

MLC puts on five drama productions (21 shows) every year.

Whether you’d rather wear the stage make-up or put it on someone else, there’s a place for you in the cast or crew.

It says, “Surrender, Dorothy!”

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There’s no place like home.

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MLC by the Numbers

5

21

123

4

6

11

212

42 21,240

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dramatic productions every year performances of dramatic productions years this campus has existed sand volleyball courts below hill minutes to walk to Vogel Arena for a swim countries our students and recent grads are teaching in Students singing in a choir ranks on our chapel organ books in our children’s literature library average electronic devices per dorm room

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Six Months in Beau If you’re a high school senior, exactly two years from now

you might be living in South America. That’s what Julie

Jabs (LPS) and Beth Marggraf (LPS) did. January of their college sophomore year, they left their friends and families to make new homes for six months in beautiful Brazil.

Beth, whose father was a missionary, had lived in Brazil until she was 13 years old. This time she lived with two other missionary families, the Bivenses and Marquardts, in Gravatai. She taught English to 25-30 teens and adults, including a conversation class where they discussed different topics in English—maybe food, holidays, or cultural traditions. “When we talked about weddings, I told them about weddings in our churches,” she says, “and at Easter I could share how Jesus died on the cross and rose again.”

She also played piano for church and gave some piano lessons. “It was a blessing to see other people’s faith grow, and it was encouraging to see people from my English classes come to church every once in a while. It’s amazing to see people on other continents who share the same faith as me. I miss them a lot, and I’d love to go back.”

M a r t i n L u t h e r C o ll e g e

utiful Brazil

If you’d ride a bus 24 hours north, you’d come to Julie Jabs’ home in Dourados. Julie lived with a Brazilian family, whose children, ages 8, 10, and 12, helped her pick up the Portuguese language—not too difficult, since she knows Spanish. “Their mom called them her little parrots, because they liked to talk so much,” she says.

Julie and some students in Dourados

Julie’s main duty was teaching escolinhas, or “little school,” which was much like Sunday school, except it was held Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday evenings in neighborhood homes or yards. About 150 Brazilian children, aged 3 to 15, attended these escolinhas to hear Bible stories and sing Christian songs.

“Most Brazilians will say they are Roman Catholics,” Julie says, “but they don’t go to church. They’re really comfortable with the escolinhas, though, because it’s right at a neighbor’s house, within walking distance. Some parents started coming too, which was really neat.”

Beth and some students in Gravatai

Julie also worked with the youth group of Estrela de Belém (Star of Bethlehem), which met twice a month for Bible study and fellowship.

“My job was trying to be a Christian role model for them,” she says.

“Most of them were very new to the church, and many of them were the only member of their family to come.”

Like Beth, music was an important part of her ministry too. She played piano for church services, sang in the choir, and played along with the hand bell choir, directed by Beth Flunker, wife of Missionary Charles Flunker.

Teaching overseas enhances many people’s lives. The Brazilians met kind American women who befriended them and encouraged them in their faith. And Julie and Beth were doubly blessed: “It made me more comfortable with sharing my faith,” says Julie.

“It also made me realize that even though we’re separated by such a great distance and the language and the culture, all these Brazilians are still our brothers and sisters in Christ, and they have the same Savior as we do.”

Julie and two friends before an outdoor church service

“I’d love to go back,” Beth says. Julie agrees. And maybe they will. In fact, right before these interviews, they’d attended a campus convocation to learn about teaching in a close neighbor of Brazil: Colombia.

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Building

a Chapel with You in Mind

If you come to MLC, you’ll be among the first students to enjoy a beautiful new building on campus—the Martin Luther College Chapel. And what’s really exciting is that we are building it with you in mind.

•

We want you to worship in a space dedicated to worship, not used also as a performance venue for plays, musicals, band concerts, rehearsals, lyceums, and other campus events on a daily basis. We never want to move, reschedule, or cancel chapel because of other activities, which sometimes happens now.

•

We want you to celebrate Holy Communion on campus regularly, which rarely happens now due to logistical difficulties. And to further emphasize our Lutheran focus on the Sacraments, we’d like you to see a baptismal font every day as a reminder that you are God’s special child.

•

We want you to participate in worship services that are beautiful . . . and creative . . . and varied . . . and full of choirs, organists, and other instrumentalists used in every way imaginable . . . and, of course, of the highest quality we can muster. We’re training you to be future worship leaders, so we need to model excellence for you. And we just can’t do this in our present auditorium as well as we’d like.

be building a chapel? I thought money was tight there”: This chapel is already fully funded. The synod gave an offering of $7.1 million as part of the 150th anniversary of the WELS some ten years ago. The building was delayed, but the need for the chapel has always been there, and now the time is right to build.

We’re hoping the chapel will be what the 150th WELS Anniversary Committee said it would be ten years ago: “an outstanding celebration project, since it symbolizes our church’s focus on the Means of Grace and its commitment to preparing workers for carrying the gospel into the world.”

Needless to say, we’re excited about this project. And a note for your parents, who may be asking, “How can MLC 10

Campus Pastor John Boeder leads campus worship life and also serves on the Chapel Building Committee.

M a r t i n L u t h e r C o ll e g e

Which Way Are You Leaning Now? lindsayhahn

Senior, Minnesota Valley LHS New Ulm, Minnesota

Special interests: soccer Which way are you leaning today?

15% Martin Luther College (New Ulm MN) 75% Wisconsin Lutheran College (Milwaukee) 10% Robert Morris College (Chicago) Some of your thoughts: I visited WLC last spring and really enjoyed the experience.

From what I’ve heard, their students are very well prepared to enter the real world.

I’m interested in Robert Morris because they offered me a scholarship based on my ACT results, and their courses are focused on Graphic Arts, which is a career I’m interested in pursuing.

MLC is on my list because Sarah Zahrt has been very friendly and encouraging, and I’ve been told by several people that I would make a great teacher because of my leadership skills.

When people ask me for help with homework or to explain a problem they don’t understand, it’s very fulfilling for me to coach them along until the light bulb comes on. It makes me feel like I made a difference in that person’s life.

I prefer smaller colleges, but that wouldn’t be the determining factor for me. I would really like for the college to have a good soccer team, but again, soccer isn’t the reason I’m going to college, despite the fact that it’s very fun and I would be sad not to play it.

My dad is giving me a lot of advice. Mostly he says that he’ll support me in my decision and that he hopes I go to MLC, but if I feel that God is leading me in another direction, then I should go the other direction.

I’m rather worried that I won’t know what college to pick even when the end of my senior year is almost over. I’ve already been praying a lot and I will continue to.

timbabler

Senior, Evergreen LHS Des Moines, Washington

Special interests: football, drama, music Which way are you leaning today?

90% Martin Luther College (New Ulm MN) 10% Wisconsin Lutheran College (Milwaukee) Some of your thoughts: I’m pretty sure that I would like to be a teacher, specifically high school teaching, maybe in music, science, or math.

Some of the biggest factors in my decision-making process are job interest, campus life, costs, and sports opportunities. I recently visited MLC and I am not worried at all about campus life. I enjoyed how friendly all of the teachers and students were, and how welcoming they were of me already, even though I am not even a student there yet. Mr. Jim Hahn met with me and introduced me to some of the football players. I think that it is so cool that MLC is willing to give financial aid so that anybody who wants to go to MLC can.

Another huge factor in my decision is that I would like to be able to use the gifts God has given me to serve him— whether it’s at MLC or not. I hadn’t really been leaning more towards MLC until I talked to Sarah Zahrt and Dustin Sievert.

Sarah gave me the confidence to know that God will use my gifts in whatever vocation I choose. Dustin helped show me all the possibilities in the ministry and how I could do everything I’m interested in by being a pastor or a teacher in the WELS. Teachers and parents and other adults and students are giving me advice. They say I have the gifts for public ministry, but God will use my gifts in whatever field I choose. My dad, Bruce Babler (DMLC ’77), would really love it if I went to MLC. He has been encouraging me ever since I was little and wanted to be a pastor just like my grandpa. He has shown me a lot of the spiritual gifts God has granted to me, and has shown me the way I can use them to glorify God. If I had to make my decision today, it would be MLC for Secondary Education, trusting God that MLC is the right 11 place for me to be.

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Q

What’s it like to come to MLC : from a public high school?

Dan Rick (Wonewoc Center HS—Wonewoc WI)

I wasn’t nervous at all. Moving in was such a breeze. But when school rolled around and I realized my family wasn’t going to be there every day, then I became nervous because of all the new adaptations that had to be made.

The hardest thing was not knowing many people. But my sister graduated last year from MLC, so when I told people I was “Lisa Rick’s brother,” everyone was really nice and gave me all the inside hints to classes, homework, professors, and just general college life.

Many students just take you right under their wing and guide you to the necessities and fun times of MLC. What I especially like is dorm life. The dorms are a great way to have fun and make friends.

Now that I’m here at MLC, I enjoy the family atmosphere and friendliness. It’s great to look at the person next to you and know that you come from different backgrounds, yet you have your faith and your striving for the public ministry in common. Many professors are helpful especially to those that went to public schools. You’ll be surprised how many of us there really are. (Just a tip for the men: be prepared to open plenty of doors. It took over a month before I actually had to open a door for myself.

Everyone cares for everyone else just as Jesus cares for all of us.)

I know that some of you are very nervous. I was too, but just remember to trust in the Lord, and he will give you strength.

Also, if you ever need someone to talk, don’t be afraid to look me up! I look forward to seeing fellow public school friends on campus in the years to come!

MLC is a great place to learn so much more about our Savior.

MLC is really friendly too. The friends you make here will be your friends for life!

Jessica Henning (Redwood Valley HS—Redwood Falls MN)

I was very nervous all the way until move-in day. But coming to MLC was a lot easier than I thought. By getting involved I met a ton of people. I joined dorm council, the softball team, intramural volleyball, and even tried out for the musical.

Q:Got any other decision-making tips?

For months, you’ve been praying, asking everyone and his sister for advice, reading promo pieces, making lists of pros and cons, and visiting campuses (which is sometimes a decision clincher).

But have you “TRIED IT ON?”

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“Trying it on” is a way to enlist your intuition, your gut feelings, your heart—in addition to that logical, commonsense, leftbrained stuff you’re working with. Here’s how it works: “Decide” you’re going to a certain college. See yourself there, walking the campus and going to class. Be absolutely sure of this decision for a whole week. Then gauge how you feel about it and listen to yourself talk about it. Do you sound happy? Is it exciting to tell people your decision? Does it feel right way down in your

gut? Or do you have a bad feeling, even if you can’t pinpoint what it is?

A little later, “decide” you’re going to a different college.Try that one on for a week, and be absolutely sure of it. Then monitor your feelings and listen to your words once again.

While it’s true that feelings can be deceiving, it’s also true that sometimes you just have to trust your gut. God wired us not only with logic but also with intuition and emotion, and it’s okay to gather information from all those sources. So, as you keep praying, thinking, and asking advice, “TRY IT ON” and see how it feels too.

M a r t i n L u t h e r C o ll e g e

Q

What if I come to MLC : and then don’t like it?

Well, first of all, don’t feel guilty about it—even if Pastor, Mom, and your third-grade teacher were sooooooo happy you came to MLC. And then you do what you need to do. If you transfer to another college, almost all your MLC credits will transfer. (It’s not quite so easy to transfer your credits from another college into MLC. That’s because we’re a single-purpose school: studying for ministry.)

And here’s something interesting: We do exit interviews of students who transfer out, and almost all say they have no regrets.

They made good friends. They liked the atmosphere. They learned good things in class. They were happy.

MLC student Benjamin Leibl (Luther High) happy to be here

Q: Is MLC cliquey?

“It’s not just like high school,” says Becky Amann (LPS). “Yes, the first few weeks it seems cliquey, but that’s because people are nervous and they stick with the people they know. But now, my sophomore year, I have more non-Prep friends than Prep friends.”

It’s natural for the basketball team to eat supper together after practice, but it wouldn’t be weird at all if members of the winter play cast sat at the same table: “Pass the salt, please. Our rehearsal went way too long. How was your practice?”

Athletes, musicians, actors, scholars—they mix. No ALHS grads snub Prep grads, and no blue masking tape divides the cafeteria between future pastors and future teachers.

Part of it is simply growing up, Becky says. “You’re in college now.

You want to act more like an adult. You want to be open to other people and enjoy other people’s company. I will always cherish the close bonds I have with my high school friends, but I really appreciate my new friends too.”

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Friends old and new: (bottom) Bridget Kamps (LPS), Michal Lockman (MLS), Becky Amann (LPS), Sarah Huggard (MLS), Brianne Jeffers (ALA), (top) Stephanie Werth (Colorado Springs Christian School—Colorado Springs CO), Kristin Steinbrenner (MLS).

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SPORTS•SPORTS•SPORTS•SPORTS And Basketball Has Begun!

MLC Women’s Basketball Team

(Front) Jamie Boldt (LPS), Ariel Mercier, (Skyview—Kenai AK), Emily Thomas (Rocky Mountain High—Fort Collins CO), Bonnie Whittaker (MLS) . . . (Middle) Coach Larry Czer, Leann Swogger (Luther High), Meredith Koltz (LPS), Brittany Jensen (Fox Valley LHS), Amanda Zwick (ALA), Kimberly Nicoline (Round Lake HS—Round Lake Park IL) . . . (Back) Emily Roberts (MLS), Katherine Kogler (California LHS), Hannah Bode (MLS), Abby Hosbach (Kettle Moraine LHS), Nicole Lehman (Luther High), Katelyn Peter (Northland LHS)

MLC Men’s Basketball Team

(Front) Greg Holzhueter (MVL), Daniel Rick (Wonewoc Center HS—Wonewoc WI), Nathan Loersch (LPS), Jake Schwartz (LPS), Benjamin Leibl (Luther High), Jacob Unke (MVL), Nathan Nass (MVL) . . . (Back) Coach Jim Danell, Derek Rosenbaum (MLS), Caleb Free (LPS), Brian Gephart (Michigan LHS), Aaron Schultz (Kettle Moraine LHS), Ryan Kolander (WISCO), Micah Ricke (WISCO), Coach Jim Unke

New MLC Soccer Facility in the Works Attention, soccer players: You’ll be playing in a beautiful new facility soon. We’re developing new grass fields with drainage and sprinkler systems, and adding bleachers, a concessions stand, restrooms, a perimeter fence, and a scoreboard. “It will be one of the premiere soccer venues in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference,” says assistant women’s coach Jeff Schone.

All-Conference player Phil Kurbis

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SPORTS•SPORTS•SPORTS•SPORTS

Fall All Conference

Congratulations to these Knights who earned All-Conference honors!

F o o t b a ll First Team:

Seth Scheuerlein (LPS) Sam Schlicht (LPS) Benjamin Olson (MVL) Jake Schwartz (LPS) Taylor Bentz (FVL) Ben Reichel (LPS) Caleb Free (LPS)

Second Team: Dan Laitinen: (LPS) Matt Rothe: (LPS) Joel Voss (MLS) Caleb Free (LPS) Ben Zurberbier (WLA)

Honorable Mention: Josh Janke (LPS) Greg Holzhueter (MVL) Leslie Arthurton (LPS)

With 71 tackles (35 solos, 36 assists), it’s no surprise that Seth Scheuerlein (LPS) claimed this year’s UMAC Defensive Player of the Year award.

Congratulations!

UMAC Defensive Player of the Year

s o cc e r Women’s First Team:

Kathryn Dickson (Atlantic Shores Christian—VA) Sarah Janke (LPS)

Men’s First Team:

V O L L E Y BA L L Honorable Mention:

Amanda Polzin (Rhinelander HS—WI) Emily Rasmussen (WISCO)

Philip Kurbis (Evergreen LHS)

All-Conference player Kathryn Dickson

w w w.mlc-wels.edu

All-Conference player Amanda Polzin

15

Unique In Purpose—Unique In Preparation

Martin luther College I taught a VBS class back at my church in Wisconsin. Just being able to see the Holy Spirit working in the kids was such an amazing experience that I can’t wait to witness as a fulltime teacher. And with MLC’s Early Field Experience hours, as a freshman I’ll already be able to get a full experience in teaching. It’s pretty cool! This school really does help you prepare for the public ministry. It brings out a side of you that you never thought existed.

Katie Mikula

katiemikula

We know that you want to invest your life in something that serves the common good— and what better way than sharing the good news of life and forgiveness through Jesus?

Whether you share that gospel with children or adults, it’s an amazing experience, and Martin Luther College is the place where you can prepare for it. We’ll help you sharpen talents you have—and maybe bring out some you didn’t know you had. Isn’t that what college is for?

Freshman Early Childhood Education Shoreland Lutheran High School Daylight USA Service/Ministry Intramurals

Martin Luther College

1995 Luther Court • New Ulm, MN 56073 www. mlc-wels .edu mlc-wels .edu