A total of 461 graduation candidates will cross the R. John Buuck Field House stage Saturday, Dec. 14, and two honorees will receive awards during fall commencement exercises for graduate and undergraduate students at 1:30 p.m.


Monique Nunes, the creator of the Women of Worth Empowerment Series and the wife of Concordia College, New York President Rev. Dr. John Nunes, will deliver the commencement address. Her background in both Lutheran and public education includes kindergarten teaching, serving as a high school principal, and as a campus life director at the college level. Tracy C. McPike, a business management major from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, will present the student address.

A traditional baccalaureate service for professional church workers will precede commencement at 10 a.m. in The Chapel of the Christ Triumphant, 12800 North Lake Shore Drive, Mequon. The Rev. Dr. Allan Buss, District President of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod’s Northern Illinois District, is the speaker.

Live stream: Click here to watch the commencement ceremony via live stream. The recording will not begin until the ceremony starts.

Two honorees will be presented special awards at commencement:

  • Paul Raymond Stuenkel, Master Educator, Secondary Education. Stuenkel, a 1974 graduate of Concordia University, Seward, currently is in his second year as part-time Director of Development and Alumni Relations at Lutheran High North in Houston, Texas, after teaching full time for 40 years. His first call was to Long Island Lutheran in Brookville, New York, where he started three bands and two choirs during his six years there.
  • Mark James Belli, Master Educator, Elementary Education. Belli, a 1990 CUW alumnus, has been a teacher and administrator for 29 years in Virginia, Wisconsin, New York, Illinois and Michigan, where he currently teaches 4th grade at Guardian Lutheran School in Dearborn.

Two education majors will receive awards during the ceremony:

  • Alexa Stempihar, The Marsha Konz Student Educator Award for superior achievement in the field of teacher education.
  • Dean Sleger, The Marsha Konz Graduate Educator Award for outstanding performance as an educator and as a student in graduate education studies.

For more information on Concordia University Wisconsin’s graduation, please visit cuw.edu/graduation.

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