This week marks National Lutheran Schools Week, an annual celebration that provides the network of more than 2,000 LCMS preschools, elementary schools, high schools, and universities throughout the nation with the opportunity to publicly proclaim and celebrate the good work happening with our schools.
This week marks National Lutheran Schools Week, an annual celebration that provides the network of more than 2,000 LCMS preschools, elementary schools, high schools, and universities throughout the nation with the opportunity to publicly proclaim and celebrate the good work happening with our schools.
Lutheran schools have a reputation for offering high-quality education and are amazing incubators of faithful witnesses of God’s love. At all levels, Lutheran education teaches and lives out the Gospel message of God’s salvation through Christ. Here at CUW, this Gospel focus is woven into the fabric of all that we do. We recognize the fruits of this mission in our feeder schools as well through the amazing students they bring to our campus.
In honor of National Lutheran Schools Week this year, Concordia took some time to round up a few of the CUW students who are proud products of area Lutheran high schools.
Here are just a few reasons Joseph Meador loves Concordia and why he encourages his Sheboygan Lutheran classmates to consider us for their college education.
Interested in Concordia? Visit the campus Feb. 6 during our Lutheran High School Visit Day. Learn more here.
Joseph Meador
High School: Sheboygan Lutheran (’14)
CUW Major: K-12 Lutheran Instrumental and Choral Music Education (’18)
Q: Why did you choose Concordia University Wisconsin?
I chose CUW for a lot of reasons. Both of my parents attended CUW back in the late 80’s/early 90’s and I wanted to follow in their footsteps. I also new that I wanted to go into church work and that CUW was one of the best schools to get a teaching degree from! Another reason is that my high school band and choir director who inspired me to want to get a degree in Music Education, Mr. Thiel (who still teaches at Sheboygan Lutheran) attended CUW. CUW had a small college feel, while still providing students with a big college experience.
All of these reasons alone were enough to make me want to attend CUW. The moment that I knew that I was going to attend CUW was the moment I walked on campus and it just felt like home. I was never nervous about heading off to college, because I knew that CUW was going to be a warm and welcoming environment where I was going to grow in my chosen profession, but not only that I was going to grow in my faith. I knew that I was going to be given opportunities that challenged me but always came back to the Gospel and what Christ has done for me!
Q: Why should someone else from Sheboygan Lutheran consider CUW?
Because just like at Sheboygan Lutheran, you are going to be strengthened as an individual but more importantly as a Christian. CUW, just like Sheboygan Lutheran, is filled with teachers who want you to become strong independent individuals that are going to take the gospel out and share it with the world. In fact many of those teachers at Sheboygan Lutheran got their education from CUW! You don’t just have to be a church worker like me to attend CUW. CUW provides a high quality education where Christ is at the center for a wide variety of vocations and majors. The best part is that at the center of everything you do at CUW is our Faith. CUW is going to provide you with the opportunity to be challenged in your faith, while also offering the support you need when you are challenged in your faith. CUW helps prepare you for the real world where your faith will be challenged and often times attacked by helping to strengthen and build up your faith!
Another perk of attending CUW is that everything is connected, so you can wear shorts and a t-shirt all year round!
Q: Name one thing fellow Lutheran high school alums have to try when they become a CUW Falcon.
One of the things that you must do once you start at CUW is go to CIT (Concordia Invitational Tournament). This is a big basketball tournament that has teams from Concordia Chicago, Ann Arbor, and Nebraska. It is a ton of fun because everyone comes out with their CUW pride! The rivalry’s that we have with the other Concordia is also a lot of fun!
One other thing that you must check out once you start at CUW is the chapel at night during Christmas. This is one of the coolest places I have ever seen! When all of the lights are off, the lights from the two Christmas trees at the front of the chapel combined with the lighted garland around the walls provides almost a glow throughout the chapel!
Q: What is a CUW “myth” you’d like to debunk?
One of the biggest myths that I want to debunk is that CUW is not just an extension of high school. It may feel like a bunch of kids from your high school are going to CUW, but it is a really big campus and you don’t always see your high school classmates. With all the changes going on in your life as you transition to college it can be really comforting to run into a familiar face in the hallway! Depending on your major and what you are involved with you will have the chance to get to know a ton of me people.
— Madelyne Arrigoni is a senior studying English, Mass Communications, and Photography. She plans to graduate in 2022.
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