KnightWatch - September 2008

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

SEPTEMBER 2008

september 2008

MLC • Welcome, Freshmen!

• The World Is Waiting . . . and MLC Can Take You There • Español in Ecuador: Immersion 2008

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

Emily Rasmussen:

Why I Like It Here

Hi! My name is Emily Rasmussen. I’m a junior at Martin Luther College, and I’m majoring in Secondary Education—Spanish.

The best part of the Spanish program is that I got to take a five-week Spanish immersion trip to Ecuador this summer.

There is a lot to be involved in during the school year, too. I play volleyball, I choreographed the dances for Cinderella last year, and throughout the year I’m involved in intramural basketball, indoor soccer, and volleyball.

My decision to come to MLC was a fairly easy one. I took mission trips to Sonora, Mexico, in high school, and right away I knew I wanted to teach Spanish or teach in Spanish in other countries. MLC was the best way to accomplish these goals. When I graduate, I have the opportunity to teach at a Christian academy in Bogota, Colombia, or a school in the Dominican Republic.

I’ve been so blessed with opportunities to travel all over the world to teach God’s Word. Not only have I gone to Mexico twice to teach Bible stories to the niños, but I went twice to Siberia, Russia, to teach VBS to the kids there (through a translator of course!). Freshman year I took a free (yes, free!) trip to Florida to canvass for a church in Valrico. And two summers ago, I chaperoned a trip to teach VBS at a mission church in Colorado Springs.

One of my favorite parts of being here at MLC is getting to play on the volleyball

team. I met a lot of my friends through volleyball, which was Emily (bottom row, fourth from the left) and the rest of the 2007 MLC volleyball team a relief since I didn’t visited Luther Prep last fall. know very many people coming into college. Since MLC is a smaller school, your friends all come to support you at home games and everyone is interested in how the team does.

Another great part of going to a small school is that your chances of making the team are better. Coaches are looking for freshmen, so with hard work you have a great chance. And you don’t have to limit yourself to just one sport either.

You may be unsure of what you want to do with your life right now. But I encourage you to give MLC a try. The education and experiences in and out of the classroom are so valuable, and the wonderful staff and amazing friends you’ll meet will support you and help you with your decisions. There’s no pressure. God has given everyone gifts, and he’ll use you no matter where you go or what you do with your life.

If you have questions about school, volleyball, or whatever, you can email me at rasmusem@mlc-wels.edu. Enjoy the rest of high school, because it goes by so fast!

Sincerely, Emily Rasmussen (WISCO)

On our cover: First-year students at George’s Ballroom Blast.

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.

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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

From MLC to Mexico An MLC student leaves the “WELS bubble” to serve in Mexico April 26, 2008 My name is Taylor Bentz. I’m an English teacher at Redeemer in Torreón. I’d like to take this opportunity to share a few of my experiences from south of the border. I’ll start with the basics: I’m midway through my second year at Martin Luther College. I am studying to be a high school Spanish teacher. I’m planning to start again during the spring semester of 2009. If all goes well, I will graduate in May 2012.

Here in Mexico, I teach eight classes throughout the week. I teach two different introduction levels and one conversation class. During the classes, I have the opportunity to teach about 80 or 90 students. But my main purpose is not to have a class full of perfect English speakers, but rather to build bridges and make connections with the students.

The Lord has blessed our work here beyond our expectations. It can be difficult while doing mission work at times because you may not always see the results that God has in store, but God has shown us great successes here. We have had a number of students coming to services, and Pastor Sanchez is very busy conducting Bible studies with students who have expressed interest in the church.

but I never fully realized what that meant until I left my “WELS bubble.”

Don’t get me wrong—growing up in the WELS has given me the confidence that God will always be there for me, but it wasn’t until I came here that I really had to rely on God to get me through some of the days. It isn’t always easy being away from family and friends and everything that I’ve known all my life, but knowing that God will always be there for me is always sufficient to get me through the day.

For more information about WELS mission work in Mexico, email Taylor at bentztt@mlc-wels.edu or check out his blog at http://missiontorreonmexico.blogspot.com.

Or go to LutheransinMexico.com, the blog of Rachel Hartman, wife of Missionary Mike Hartman.

As far as myself personally, my eyes have really been opened to the world around me. After four months abroad, there are a host of things that I never realized or that I’ve always taken for granted. On a larger scale than that, I’ve never realized how God has set my path before me. I’ve always known that everything happens for a reason, and that God will always work for our good, Taylor with friends Carmen Montoya and Olga Madrid

Word and Song at MLC Sarah Zietlow’s choir director at Luther High, Paul Adickes, told her she could do anything she wanted to do. If you heard her sing or play piano, you’d feel the same. So it’s no surprise that she considered colleges like St. Olaf, which are known for their music programs. But in the end, she chose MLC.

Meet Voice Instructor Kathryn Wurster Ms. Wurster comes to MLC with an AA from Bethany Lutheran College, a BA from Gustavus Adolphus College, and a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Colorado— Boulder, where she studied with Dr. Robert Harrison. She’s an active recitalist and has also shared her “rich soprano voice” in a variety of stage roles, including Marian in The Music Man, Guenevere in Camelot, the Governess in Turn of the Screw, and Celeste in the premiere of the opera Sara McKinnon. She has teaching studios in her home, at Martin Luther College, and at Bethany Lutheran College.

“I knew I wanted to come to MLC in order to teach music and possibly go on for my master’s degree later,” she says. “I want to learn as much as I possibly can about music, but right now it’s really important for me to learn how to spread God’s Word and to use music to do that.”

Majoring in Secondary Music Education with a Choral emphasis, Sarah studies keyboard with Instructor Beth Balge (who happens to be her aunt) and voice with Instructor Kathy Wurster. She also sings in the Martin Luther College Choir, which toured Mexico last year, under the direction of Dr. Kermit Moldenhauer. “I’m improving my music skills by coming here,” she says, “and there’s something really powerful about putting God’s Word with beautiful music.”

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Ryan Kolander (WISCO)

in their own words

When he wasn’t sure: Even after coming here, I wasn’t positive that this is what I wanted to do, but I was just overwhelmed by the amount of absolute love and care given to me by professors. Coming here you see the people you’d love to be and the jobs that you’d love to do.

How he saw his future in the Big Peach: I went on a Travel Canvass Witness trip down to Atlanta last year, canvassing and handing out flyers and talking to people in the community, and that was a really cool opportunity to get a feel for what I could be doing in the future and at the same time witnessing my faith.

Pre-Seminary Studies Football, Basketball, College Daylight M aChorale, r t i n Resident L u t h eAssistant, r C o ll e g eUSA, Student Senate, Student Athletic Advisory Committee, Accreditation Committee, Pastoral Motivation Committee, Intramurals, Campus Library Job

MLC’s Vocal and Choral Offerings Vocal training and choir are available to all MLC students, music majors and non-music majors, education students and pre-seminary students. At any given time, about 25%-35% of our students are singing in one of our four choirs: • Martin Luther College Choir: This choir is open to all sophomores, juniors, and seniors by audition. It participates in concerts and worship services. It toured the West Coast in ’07 and Mexico in ’08, and it will tour the Midwest in ’09.

• College Chorale, Women’s Choir, and Men’s Choir: These choirs are open to all students by audition. They participate in concerts, worship services, and the annual MLC Hymn Festival, both on campus and offsite.

2008-2009 Choral Events Christmas Concert

Dec 14, 3:00

Hymn Festival (St Paul’s)

Feb 15, 3:00

College Choir Tour

Feb 27—Mar 8

College Choir Home Concert

Mar 22, 3:00

Hymn Festival (off campus )

Mar 29, 2:30

Commencement Concert

May 15, 7:30

Tuning Up The MLC Wind Symphony, which includes 25+ first-year students this year, will again be touring the Midwest in February.

But if you’d like to catch them before that, they’ll be playing a mini-concert—with an arrangement of Benny Goodman tunes and a fiery Spanish march, “Amparito Roco”—at Luther Prep Friday, September 19. Another highlight: the November 23 concert will feature Advanced Conducting students Dawn Whiting (Lakeside, pictured) and Meredith Milbrath (Michigan Lutheran Sem), taking the baton.

MLC’s bands and instrumental ensembles are open to all students, regardless of major. If you played in high school, you can play here!

2008-2009 Wind Symphony Concerts: Nov 23, 3:00 Feb 7-10 (Midwest Tour) Apr 4, 7:30

How MLC is like a normal college: You’re out there, you’re having fun with your friends. You stay up till two in the morning, and it’s just a lot of fun.

How it’s not: Being with your future called workers and knowing that everybody is here for the same purpose.

You can sit down and talk about your faith and about your future.

What she’s learned about herself: You have to work with other people. Everybody else has gifts too, and you can’t just look at yourself.

w w w . m l c - w e l s . e d u Elementary Education—English

New Friends/Jesus Cares Ministry

Dec 14, 3:00 (Christmas) Feb 11, 7:30 May 15, 7:30 (Commencement)

ab Alissa Barkholtz

(Fox Valley LHS)

in their own words

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If a Picture’s Worth 1000 Words . . .

Then what is Heidi Schone’s face saying?

It’s May 17, 2008. A little after 3 in the afternoon. Heidi Schone has just heard WELS President Mark Schroeder announce her assignment call: “Good Shepherd Lutheran Pre-School . . . Saint Peters, Missouri . . .

Early Childhood Teacher and Director”

The Call Service at MLC—it’s an amazing experience. You sing the hymns and try to focus on the sermon while telling your palms to stop sweating so much. Where will God place you? But you’re more excited than nervous, because you know that God only has your best interest in mind. This congregation, this school that’s going to be announced, is chosen especially for you, as a match of your gifts and the church’s needs.

Student Teaching: Going to New Lengths Last spring, for the first time ever, some MLC teachers-in-training completed their student teaching experience outside the Midwest—far outside, as in Washington State. Alissa Alonte (far left, WISCO) and Leah Dose (far right, MVL) taught at St. Matthew— Spokane WA. Jeremiah Drews (middle left, Manitowoc LHS) and Emily Mayer (middle right, WISCO) taught at Holy Trinity—Des Moines WA.

Secondary Education degrees (so they’ll student teach again this year, but in high schools). And Leah is teaching English in Southeast Asia. That’s about as far from the Midwest as you can get.

For 40+ years, (D)MLC students have completed student teaching primarily in Minnesota, Michigan, or Wisconsin. (Before 1964, they stayed even closer to campus, just walking down the hill to St. Paul’s, New Ulm.) So this is a big step—toward even better preparation for today’s diverse WELS classrooms.

And where are they now? Alissa is teaching preschool at Beautiful Savior—Cincinnati. Jeremiah and Emily are finishing their

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Jason Fry (Lakeside LHS)

in their own words

One way MLC is different: At a public university, you’ll maybe run into one or two of your good friends once a day, whereas here you live right next door to them, you see them every day, you have classes with them, and I really can’t get enough of that.

Why this college is great for first-year students: MLC is a great place to come to find out what you want to do. Maybe because of the people up here, and the professors, and the way you’re treated, you’ll want to become a pastor or a teacher. And maybe you’ll go somewhere else, but you’ll take with you the feeling you had on this campus and the friends that you made.

Staff Ministry M a r t i n L u t h e r C o ll e g e Baseball, College Choir, Daylight USA, Campus Sports Announcer, Intramurals

Take the Senior IQ Test

When Mom and Dad drop you off at college next year, you’re on your own! Are you ready? Take our quick IQ—Independence Quotient—test to see if you can make the cut.

As a junior, you were a starter on the team, but this year, you’re barely playing. Your dad wants to talk to the coach. What do you do? a) Ask your dad to let you handle it. b) Let your dad talk to the coach. c) Suggest that your dad go past the coach and talk directly to the Athletic Director.

You wake up sick as a dog, and there’s no way you’ll make it to work. What do you do?

Someone’s Having a Baby!

That’s right. Our own Admissions Counselor Sarah Zahrt is looking forward to a baby come February. And right now she and her husband, Jesse (pictured), are looking for name suggestions. Send your favorite boy and girl names to Sarah and Jesse at zahrtse@mlc-wels.edu. If they use the name you suggest, you’ll win not only the bragging rights but also a valuable prize: either $100 cash or an MLC t-shirt. (Better count on the shirt.)

a) Call your boss and say you’re sick. b) Ask your mom to call your boss. c) Just don’t go in. They’ll cover for you.

You thought you’d earned at least a B+ in your Honors English course, but you got a C. What do you do? a) Ask your teacher about it. b) Have your parents call your teacher. c) Toilet paper your teacher’s house.

Now add up your score. A=3 points, B=2 points, and C=1 point.

9 Congrats, you know how to handle your own difficulties without running to your parents. You’re ready for college!

7-8 You’re on your way. Try to use your last year of high school to become truly independent.

1-6 It’s time to take a deep breath and put on your big-kid pants—unless you want Mummy and Daddy to be your college roommates next year!

Was she sure about MLC? It was more like, if I didn’t come up here, would I regret it? Would I always wonder what it would’ve been like?

Why first-year Early Field Experience rocks: You get to teach kids. I think that helped a lot of my friends decide whether this was for them.

Why she was nervous: I didn’t know anybody coming up here, but the first day they have so much cool stuff for the freshmen to do. It took like a day to adjust.

What the MLC faculty does not do: They’re not trying to mold you into robots. Everybody’s got their unique gifts, and they help you develop them. They help you expand who you are.

Early Childhood Education w w w.mlc-wels.edu College Chorale, Volleyball, Daylight USA, Intramurals, Campus Mailroom Job

New Math Degree

Students have registered for a new MLC major this year: Secondary Math Education. This degree prepares students to teach grade 5-12 math. This is the first four-year licensed secondary subject matter major MLC is offering. We are also working on four-year majors in secondary science (life science, physics, chemistry), music (vocal, instrumental), physical education, and English.

mn (Manitowoc LHS) Mara

Nass

in their own words

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Freshman

First Impressions I was very impressed, very quickly. We met President Zarling right away, and he was so friendly. It was amazing that he took the time to help us to move in. He’s the president and one would expect him to be doing other things.

Dorm life is awesome. Guys can be guys.

Anne Zietlow (GPLHS)

Stephanie Teeples (MLS)

Ethan Thaut (Rocky Mountain LHS) Amazing. I love it! My mom wishes she could’ve gone here for school.

Playing a fall sport (football) was a great idea. It helped me make new friends right away.

It is a very friendly, very beautiful place. I’d never been here before, and I think it’s great.

Jacob Leibl (Luther High)

Michelle Hintz (Independence High—TN) This place looks like a park!

Michelle’s dad

DANCING 8 M a r t i n L u t h e r C o ll e g e

MOVING IN Right away when we pulled into MLC, our car was completely surrounded by people (RA’s) with bull’s-eye shirts. At first I was scared because I had just woken up from a nap, but then it was awesome because all my stuff was carried to my room!

Lauren Leyrer (LPS)

MLC emanates Lutheranism.

I like the Luther statue.

Joe Ebert (Rocky Mountain LHS) One word to describe it would be EASY. It’s very comfortable here, and that means it’s also very comforting.

Volleyball practices are much faster and more intense—in a good way. And everyone on the team is so encouraging of each other. It’s obvious that everyone wants everyone to do better.

So far, I really like the food.

Beth Schmugge (MLS) Everyone is so friendly.

Justin Danell (MVL)

Robyn Brukhart (FVL)

Mandy Westin (KML)

S P E E D D AT I N G 9 w w w.mlc-wels.edu

Welcome ,

Alison Ko Kettle Mo ra

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ine LHS

Amy Hankemeier Fox Valley LHS

ael Carla Carmich St. Croix LHS

Elise Lau

Arizona Lutheran Academy

Becky Flad

Anne Zietlow

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Luther Prep

Breann a

Luther H Bader igh Scho ol

Great Plains LHS

Christian Birsching

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Evergreen LHS

Carolyn M a

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oldt Emily rBPrep Luthe

Jake Rothe

Luther High School

Jared Matthies Lakeside LHS

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Jennifer Mickelson Luther Prep

Ethan Thaut

Rocky Mountain LHS

Jessie O t

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

Freshmen!

Here are just a few of the new frosh at Martin Luther College!

Breanna Yerks

Michigan Lutheran Seminary

wski Claire CzapleLHS Kettle Moraine

Hannah Horn Luther Prep

randt Brian Hildeb LHS

Jill Prost

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Lakeside LHS

Fox Valley

nstorff Claire Zar HS Evergreen L

illiams W r e h t a He r High School Luthe

Kettle Moraine LHS

Caleb Schmiege

Joe Janke WISCO

David Strucely Luther Prep

Carina Rahn

Minnesota Valley LHS

Caleb S ch

Luther P ultz rep

abbers R k e r e D igan LHS Mich

dams Jacki Aheran Seminary Jacob Steinmetz Lut

n Michiga

John Cleven Lakeside LHS

Great Plains LHS

John Paustian

Kettle Moraine LHS Instructor Bethel Balge

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

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Welcome , Joseph B lu Fox Valley L

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HS

Justin Danell

Minnesota Valley LHS

Kelly Martin WISCO

Kaitlin Nunnari

Kadie Draken MI)

Michigan Lutheran Sem

Kara K

Great P luck lains LHS

(Adria Madison High

Kirsten Pahmeier Kimberly

Lehninger

Luther Prep

n Michiga

WISCO

Lindsay Hahn

Minnesota Valley LHS

wanson Mark Sreen LHS

hmer Matt Bt eLHS Wes

Everg

Paul Hoversten

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Arizona Lutheran Academy

Philip Gardner

eran Michigan Luth

Sem

ss appenfu P a t s e i S r n m K Luthera

Rachel Rupnow

Minnesota Valley LHS

Michelle Hintz

Independence High (Thompson's Station TN)

Robyn Brukard F t ox Valle y

LHS

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

Freshmen!

Here are just a few of the new frosh at Martin Luther College!

Karis Kapler Home Schooled

l Kurtis Wetzeku m WI)

h Kewaskum Hig

(Kewas

Monica Madsen Luther Prep

an Karla Opperm

ch MI)

Manitowoc LHS

Luther Prep

Schulte Nathanher Prep Lut

Fox V

Samantha Zastrow Luther Prep

Steve White

Shoreland LHS

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To

r Loesche LaurenCroix LHS St.

Luther Prep

Morganalley LHS

Katelyn

Luther P usey rep

Laura Zaferos

Schultz

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Katelyn Hauf

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Kyle Benc e

Kdee Lem

Susan Decker

Memorial High (Eau Claire WI)

Nathan Wordell West LHS

Tim Ba b

Evergree n

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LHS Balge Instructor Bethel

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

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The World Boy, did I get a huge smile on my face.

My kids have a problem with talking out of turn, so that question got a lot of replies. “Because he’s powerful!”

“Because he’s amazing!” “He made us out of sand!”

Singing, Dancing, and Baptisms in the Bush

When Rachel Kionka (LPS) graduated in May 2007, she decided to serve overseas for a year before accepting her first assignment call. Through MLC’s Daylight International program, she got a job teaching primary grades at Sir Harry Johnston International School in Malawi, Africa. Her yearlong adventure also included teaching the children of Grace Orphan School (most of whom have lost their parents to malaria or AIDS), worshiping with fellow Christians in the bush, visiting medical clinics, hiking in the mountains, making friends from all over the world, and deciding whether or not to eat “mouse-on-a-stick.”

For those of us back home, exploring Rachel’s blogs and online photo albums became a yearlong adventure in itself. Here’s just a smidge of her story:

I Love My First and Second Graders October 2, 2007: So today we started the best unit ever in science! Yay for the human body! I love it. I knew it would be hard to not say, “Look at our crazy amazing bodies! Isn’t God incredible?!” [Sir Harry’s is a public school.] But then Joy, one of my German girls, says, “How did God do make this?”

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October 22, 2007: Yesterday I was able to go to two village congregations with Pastor Rob Wendland, so I’m on a little bit of a high right now. Before you even open the truck door the Malawians gather around, singing and dancing, smiling and clapping. I love the liturgy and the hymns. I love it all. Watching Rob baptize five little ones at each service, I could tell how much he loves it too.

At Grace Orphan School April 30, 2008: I noticed a little boy playing with a red tennis ball. It was Pemphero! This was the little boy who was so scared of azungus (white people) at first. I hadn’t seen him since before Christmas, and was very, very worried that something had happened to him. But he was there today!

I picked him up and he just absolutely clung to me, his arms wrapped around tight. Oh man, I’m in love.

If you’d like to read more—like how Rachel finally did eat the African delicacy mouse-on-a-stick (“Feet, fur, tail, eyes, teeth, it was all still there,” she writes.)—go to <rachelinafrica.blog.com>. Rachel would also love to answer any questions you have—about Malawi, Daylight International, or MLC in general. Email her at tenniskia@ yahoo.com. Rachel is tutoring at Luther Prep this year.

Christina Lindloff (LPS)

in their own words

What MLC students are not: We’re not clones. I mean, everyone has their own interests. Phy ed . . . drama . . . music—there’s always a way to express what you’re interested in.

Two weeks after transferring to a different college sophomore year: It was a big smack to the back of the head: This is not what I love. I need to go back to MLC. When the fun happens: A lot of things happen in the middle of the night. Sleep is never our first thought. Running around at 2 a.m., bocce ball games, midnight bike rides. With the people that you have here, you create a lot of fun.

Elementary Education—Music M a r tChoir, i n LDaylight u t h eUSA, r CIntramurals o ll e g e Children’s Theater, College

Is Waiting . . .

and MLC Can Take You There Have Gospel—Will Travel Back in the day, if you wanted to be a missionary, you had to be a pastor— or marry one. No more. If you attend MLC, you will have the chance to serve overseas.

Through MLC’s Daylight International program, about 40 students and grads are serving in a dozen countries like Brazil, Colombia, and Thailand. These are generally jobs, not calls. But even those who teach in public schools have opportunities to assist at WELS missions. After a year or two, they’ll come back to be assigned to a stateside WELS school. Look where these 2008 grads are teaching right now: Jacquelyn Colletta: Santiago, Dominican Republic

Leah Dose: Southeast Asia

Rebecca Finke: Southeast Asia Tim Matthies II: Southeast Asia

Claire Natsis: Southeast Asia

Sarah Priestap: Santiago, Dominican Republic Elizabeth Strong: Southeast Asia Shanna Stubalt: Ashikawga, Japan Ben Workentine: Southeast Asia If you have any questions about Daylight International, you can contact Pastor John Boeder at boederjc@mlc-wels.edu or 507.354.8221. If you’re simply wondering whether you would be eligible for the program, the answer is yes!

The highlight of teaching English in Mexico: Bible study.

It was exciting to teach someone the Bible when they don’t know much of anything about it. “This is what the Bible says,” I’d say. And they’d never seen it.

The hidden curriculum? How the professors live their ministries and their lives is the best lesson.

How he’d like to serve one day: I want to be a good pastor, a faithful pastor. Whether it’s in Mexico, inner-city Milwaukee, South Dakota, or wherever, I want to use what I’ve learned here to the best of my ability—writing good sermons, shepherding my sheep, living a life above reproach. And I’ll know that it’s not me that does the real work. Thankfully.

Pre-Seminary Studies College Choir, Track, Daylight International, Summer Vicar, Academic Success Center Tutor, Intramurals

w w w.mlc-wels.edu

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John Raasch

(Great Plains LHS)

in their own words

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Español in Ecuador

Immersion

2008 Every summer MLC Professor Paul

Bases

takes

Spanish

students and grads (from MLC and elsewhere) to a Spanishspeaking country where they immerse themselves in the language for five glorious weeks. These few pictures are just a taste.

Why Immersion?

Having gone on four MLC immersion trips, Sara McKey, MLC ’03, knows the benefits: “Nothing pushes you to the next level in a language like immersion. Immersions are also a wonderful way to see how God has created us all alike, but different, and also a great opportunity to spread the gospel. Many of the teachers in the school ask questions each year about God, Jesus, and the Bible. We have this chance to use our language skills to tell of Jesus’ love. One final benefit: They remind us how very blessed we are, how much we have, and how, unfortunately, we are often selfish with our blessings when there are countries where the people live on very little.”

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Sara teaches Spanish 1, 2, 3, and 4 at Illinois LHS, where only 40 students in the whole school don’t take Spanish. “The MLC Spanish program will challenge you,” she says, “and I’m very thankful to Professor Bases for that challenge, because it completely developed and refined my Spanish skills and prepared me for my teaching position.”

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

Afternoons took them to the city: the market, churches, museums, cafes.

As in any immersion trip, they spoke only Spanish the entire time.

Hammocks in the rainforest: good for studying, napping, and just hanging.

The third weekend the group rode horseback, hiked, and zip-lined at Cotopaxi, one of the highest active volcanoes in the world. Other weekends took them to the Equator, the ocean, and the capitol city of Quito.

They woke up every morning to Spanish class with native speakers—either one-on-one or in small groups. While weeks 1, 2, and 4 were in a Spanish school, class week 3 was in the rainforest and week 5 on the beach.

One of the best parts of culture study is meeting new friends.

Guinea pig, anyone?

“They’re considered a delicacy,” says MLC grad and current Spanish teacher at Illinois LHS, Sara McKey ’03. “Looks gross, but actually has pretty good flavor!”

17 w w w.mlc-wels.edu

SPORTS•SPORTS•SPORTS•SPORTS looking back Spring 08 Spring ’08 All-Conference

Spring Semester Academic All-Conference These students posted a 3.50 GPA or better, earning them a spot on the UMAC Academic All-Conference team.

Tennis Dan Laitinen (LPS) Jon Kehl (LPS) Elise Henrich (LPS)

Basketball

Track

Jamie Boldt-Schwartz (LPS) Kimberly Nicoline (Round Lake High—WI) Hannah Bode (MLS) Nathan Nass (MVL) Micah Ricke (WISCO) Aaron Schultz (KML)

Peter Metzger (LPS) Nicole Lehman (Luther High)

Softball All-Conference: Carol Niemi (Luther High) Honorable Mention: Jamie Boldt-Schwartz (LPS) Jessica Henning (Redwood Valley—MN) All-Defensive: Jamie Boldt-Schwartz (LPS)

Baseball and Softball Greg Holzhueter (MVL) Jamie Boldt-Schwartz (LPS) Jill Anding (Neillsville High—WI) April Cook (KML) Carol Niemi (Luther High)

Baseball All-Conference: Steve Gurgel (KML) Honorable Mention: Zach Pudlo (LPS) Tyler Morgan (MVL)

Tennis

Senior Athlete Award Winners Say “I Do” The MLC seniors chosen as Male and Female Athletes of the Year know each other quite well. Jake Schwartz and Jamie Boldt-Schwartz walked the same hallways all through high school (LPS) and college. And then they decided to walk down the aisle too. They’re now living in Mequon WI, where Jake is starting his first year at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary.

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ls

Leann Swogger (Luther High)

in their own words

Philip Hunter (LPS) Mark Thiesfeldt (MVL) David Wendland (LPS) Daniel Laitinen (LPS) Sarah Enstad (LPS) Kristi Slovik (LPS) Elyse Limpert (St. Croix) Laura Fritzler (MLS)

Track & Field Timothy Matthies (Lakeside) Andrew Hussman (LPS) Nathan Loersch (LPS) Jeffrey Grundmeier (LPS) Peter Metzger (LPS) Benjamin Reichel (LPS) Sasha Bolwerk (KML) Elise Wordell (West) Amanda Nitz (Shoreland) Carol Putz (WLA) Nicole Lehman (Luther High)

How she cured herself of homesickness: It’s something in freshman year you go through, but then I snapped out of it.

I learned that the fun is not going to come to you. You have to go out and create the fun.

Two reasons MLC’s a good fit: I love to travel, and MLC does provide opportunities for anybody who wants to go to new, exciting places. And if I’d gone to another, bigger school, I wouldn’t have had a chance to play basketball.

The biggest reason: I’d love to teach early childhood. Right down the road is an Early Childhood Center, started by MLC. That’s my main goal: to teach infants and toddlers. But I’ll do whatever God has in store for me.

Early Childhood Education M USA, a r tIntramurals i n L u t h e r C o ll e g e Basketball, Daylight

SPORTS•SPORTS•SPORTS•SPORTS looking ahead Knights Hope Experience Brings Success

By MLC Sports Information Director Michael Gibbons The 2008 fall sports season is upon us, and the Knights have several teams returning a great deal of experience they hope will translate to more wins on the playing field.

Coach Doug Lange begins his fourth season at the helm of the football program with a team that returns 17 starters from last year’s 6-3 squad. Among the 17 returners with starting experience are eight players who received All-UMAC honors last season.

Looking to build on experience gained last season is the volleyball team, where Coach Lori Unke starts her second season heading the program. The 2007 Knights suffered growing pains during a 4-22 season, but they return 10 letter winners, including two All-UMAC performers from last season, and look to surge upwards in the conference standings.

Much like the volleyball team, the men’s soccer program under Coach Paul Koelpin, now entering his 13th season as head coach, had a young roster that suffered through a 3-14-1 season in 2007. This season, with 12 letter winners returning, including the team’s top 10 scorers from last year, Coach Koelpin hopes the Knights can once again return to the top of the UMAC.

Decisions, decisions: At first I didn’t know if I wanted to teach in a public school or a Lutheran school. But then I thought about the opportunity to bring God’s Word and my faith into the work that I was doing with teenagers.

That’s a pretty special privilege.

The best part of MLC: Chapel. Twenty minutes twice a day. Your faith just gets stronger. You get into the habit of worshiping with others and when you don’t have it, when you go home over break, you actually miss it.

How long it took to make friends: About a week. I came out for football, and I met guys right away.

w w w . m l c - w e l s . e d u Secondary Education—Math

Football, Baseball, Basketball

While the women’s soccer team doesn’t have the same number of returners that other teams do, they have an exciting group of newcomers who look to build the program after last season’s 5-14 record. Fourth-year Head Coach Jon Balge will look to his three fourth-year players to lead a group that features 10 freshmen.

The MLC cross country team will also have a number of fresh faces. Coach Mark Paustian has three returners from last year’s men’s team who have been joined by five newcomers.

Coach Barb Leopold’s women’s team returns two members of last season’s team and features five newcomers, including four freshmen.

The Knights' golf team, under the direction of third-year Head Coach Lawrence Lotito, returns five of seven men and two women from the 2007 rosters. Both the men, who finished fourth at the UMAC Conference Tournament last year, and the women look to improve with several incoming competitors new to this season’s roster and to make their mark at the conference tournament in early October.

gh Greg Holzhueter

(Minnesota Valley LHS)

in their own words M a r t i n L u t h e r C o ll e g e

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Who’s a principal apprentice in North Hollywood?

Who’s teaching preschool in the Dominican Republic?

Who’s teaching chemistry at Manitowoc Lutheran High?

Who’s coordinating school technology in Michigan?

Who’s teaching middle grades and coaching in Wisconsin?

Who’s playing organ in El Paso, Texas?

Who’s teaching English in Southeast Asia?

Who’s an early childhood director in Houston?

Who’s directing choir at Kettle Moraine Lutheran High?

Who’s teaching upper-grade science in Wisconsin?

Who’s teaching history at St. Croix Lutheran High?

Who’s teaching primary grades in Japan?

Who’s a tutor at Michigan Lutheran Seminary?

Who’s enrolling at Seminary?

Who’s starting an exciting new life of service to the church?

The 2008 Graduates of Martin luther College

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