Held every three years since 1980, the LCMS Youth Gathering provides thousands of youth and adults the opportunity to come together as a community of God’s people to be encouraged in their walk with Jesus Christ. And once again this year, CUW and CUAA will be there to make a splash!
The triennial Youth Gathering is jam-packed with things to do, so make sure you budget time for Concordia while you’re in Houston. We guarantee you it will be worth your while! And here are a few reasons why:
1. A chance to snap a photo in our picture-perfect selfie museum.
Inspired by the rapidly growing nationwide phenomenon, Concordia’s booth (BOOTH C307F) at the Gathering will feature eight different selfie museum exhibits. Each one offers the perfect backdrop for enviable pictures to fill your social feed.
2. Giveaways, giveaways, and more giveaways!
Get your hands on lots of free stuff, including T-shirts, water bottles, wet/dry towels, and more!
3. Take solace in our campus Comfort Dogs
If the excitement and chaos of all the activities start to feel a little overwhelming, take a break with CUW’s resident Comfort Dogs, Zoey and Sage at the Concordia booth.
4. Show your Falcon pride
What better place to show off your CUW colors than at a gathering of thousands of like-minded people of faith—many of whom are looking for a college to attend!
5. Fight those late-night cravings
Concordia will help a few random winners beat those late-night munchies cravings each night with a midnight snack bundle delivered to your hotel! To enter, just ask one of our CUWAA YG Ambassadors (see below) for a scan of their QR code.
6. Meet the CUWAA YG Ambassadors
Two students from CAA and two from CUW have been selected to serve as CUWAA’s official YG Ambassadors. Don’t miss your chance to meet Grace, Cody, Adam, and Lily in person at the Gathering. Learn more about them here.
7. Come to the For King & Country concert (We’re sponsoring it!)
The Christian pop duo sensation For King & Country is a can’t-miss concert experience. Concordia is proud to be a sponsor for the Gathering’s main-stage musical act.
8. Meet Concordia faculty and current students
You’re bound to run into plenty of fellow Concordians just by mingling and visiting our booth, but here’s an opportunity to get even more intentional: Gather for lunch and reconnect with your fellow alumni to celebrate “In All Things” on Sunday, July 10 at Minute Maid Park from noon to 3:00 p.m. Interim President Dr. William Cario and other university leaders will be there to visit, too.
9. Catch alumni on the main stage
CUW will be well-represented on-stage at the Youth Gathering. Event Host Zach Zehnder and Bible study leaders Gerard Bolling, Sarah Crowder, Chad Janetzke, and Gabe Kasper are all alumni!
10. Learn more about our programs and how to apply.
The fall 2023 application is now open. There’s no time like the present to start thinking about your future after high school. Click here to apply.
— This story is written by Kali Thiel, director of university communications for Concordia University Wisconsin and Ann Arbor. She may be reached at kali.thiel@cuw.edu or 262-243-2149.
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