A lifetime of scholarship, teaching, and faithful service earns Concordia’s highest faculty distinction
The Concordia community recently gathered to celebrate its first Distinguished Professor, Dr. Mark J.P. Wolf.
Wolf, a professor of communication with 30 years of experience at Concordia University Wisconsin, has published 29 books, and most importantly, “has shaped the academic and personal lives of countless students,” said Dr. Erik P. Ankerberg, president of the university.
“The Distinguished Professor designation was created by the faculty in 2017 to honor long-serving faculty members who have been truly outstanding,” said Dr. Leah Dvorak, vice president for Academics and chief academic officer.
“The criteria are stringent: you must have been a full-time member of the faculty for at least 25 years and have a long-standing record of exceptional performance in teaching, scholarship/research and service, with distinction in at least one of those three categories. In Mark’s case, his scholarship is especially outstanding. He is a prolific and very well-respected writer and scholar in his field.”
An honor and a privilege
Wolf said it was an honor and a privilege to receive the award, especially as the first recipient at Concordia.
“What a blessing it is to teach our students, enriching and transforming their lives, watching them grow from high school graduates to adults entering the working world,” he said as he accepted the award. “How rewarding it is to work together to proclaim God’s Word, influence the culture, and do our part in reshaping the world.”
In addition to being a prolific writer, Wolf contributes to the scholarly community by reviewing numerous manuscripts and serving on several editorial boards. He also has taught 28 different courses, 15 of which he created himself.
Well-known author
His most well-known publications for general audiences include Video Games FAQ (2017); 101 Enigmatic Puzzles: Fractal Mazes, Quantum Chess, Anagram Sudoku, and More (2020); and The Seven Stones (2024).
“Dr. Wolf’s scholarly contributions don’t just meet the standards; they far exceed them,” said Dr. Rachel Ware Carlton, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences and professor of music. “And his international speaking engagements have taken him to Taiwan, Japan, Argentina, England, China, Turkey, Canada and Germany. He is a sought-after expert within his discipline.”
Echoing those sentiments, Rev. Dr. Harald G. Tomesch, professor of theology, offered his own reflection to CUW’s first Distinguished Professor. “Your dedication, brilliance and unwavering passion for excellence has inspired countless minds and elevated your field. You’ve shown us what it means to lead with knowledge, heart and vision. This award is not just a recognition of your accomplishments, but a testament to the impact you made on students, colleagues and the world.” To learn more about Wolf, read this.
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Concordia University Wisconsin is a Lutheran higher education community committed to helping students develop in mind, body, and spirit for service to Christ in the Church and the world.