One visit to Concordia University Wisconsin’s campus is often enough to sense something deeper at work — God’s presence revealed in the beauty of the lakefront horizon, the quiet strength of its buildings, and the faithful lives of students and alumni. For Heather Oechsner, a 2002 graduate in elementary education, that beauty left a lasting impression.
Alongside her art students at Living Word Lutheran High School in Jackson, Wis., she has helped transform that inspiration into art. Together, they created four large mosaic panels depicting scenes from campus and donated them to the university. The pieces, set to be installed later this year, stand as a colorful tribute to the place that continues to shape hearts, minds and callings.
“The mosaic is four parts and represents the four values CUW makes as part of their mission — Christ-centered, integrity & faith, excellence, and service,” Oechsner said. “Together they are quite big, each being 5 feet high and 3 feet wide.
“Each panel has a well-known, iconic component of the CUW campus — the famous floor tile (we re-created it); the driftwood cross at the bottom of the bluff; the courtyard path with trees; and the legendary gazebo. In addition, the Lutheran solas are tied in with the first panel, the Christ-Centered themed one — Christ Alone, Faith Alone, Scripture Alone, Grace Alone.”
The artists
Eleven students worked with Oechsner for five hours a day for three weeks during their winterim, planning, measuring, forming clay pieces, and placing them on the boards along with broken glass and ceramic tile pieces.
The students and Mrs. O., as they affectionately call her, loaded up a vehicle earlier in February with the four pieces of art, ready to gift them to CUW. The panels were temporarily displayed against the wall outside of the Chapel of Christ Triumphant so that faculty, staff and students could see the result of the group’s creativity, skill and love for the Lord, as well as meet the artists that defined that love in clay, ceramic and glass.
“It’s cool that our artwork is going to be displayed on campus. To see Jesus’s love,” said high school junior Emree Kellerman. Her favorite of the four panels is the one depicting Concordia’s well-known gazebo. “I like the details and all of the colors,” she said, adding how “cool” it is for the group to leave a legacy on campus.
Nancy Eiff, grandmother of junior Megan Hauser, came out to Concordia for the presentation to the school. “She (Megan) showed me a picture in progress and I was amazed,” Eiff said. “They’re so talented.”
Megan said she enjoyed working on the integrity & faith panel, although it was a lot of work. “But it was really worth it,” she added, “because it turned out so beautiful.”
Why Concordia University
As an alumna, Oechsner experienced Concordia firsthand and visited each of the places depicted on the mosaic panels. She decided to represent her alma mater in art with her students because of the impact Concordia has made on her and her family.
“My dad went to CUW when it was in Milwaukee and also a high school boarding school in the 60s,” she said. “My brother graduated there in ’89 and my sister in ’95. Much of my family and extended family has gone to CUW and has worked there, too.
“Concordia became even more special to me in 2024 when they opened their chapel up to host our son Denny’s Celebration of Life service after losing him tragically,” she said. “The support from the entire faith community from Living Word to Concordia, our church First Immanuel and everyone in between was extremely supportive and caring to our family.
“Finally, I never thought I’d be a CUW parent, but my oldest son, Cole, transferred to Concordia for pre-med last year and loves it here.”
Oechsner’s family is truly a Concordia legacy family, spanning three generations. It is fitting, then, that she chose Concordia as the place to leave a legacy in art.
Student team
- Eliza Anderson, senior
- Max Ball, senior
- Avery Cassidy, junior; father currently works at CUW and is an alumnus
- Megan Hauser, junior
- Emree Kellerman, junior; both parents are CUW alumni
- Alayna Kurozawa, senior
- Madison Lawrence, senior
- Elaina Raymond, junior
- Lilly Roltgen, senior
- Anna Sileno, senior; attending CUW in the fall
- Peytra Traska, junior; both parents are CUW alumni
By the numbers
4
hand-designed mosaic panels crafted and gifted to Concordia University Wisconsin
3
weeks of dedicated, creative work
5
hours set aside each day for hands-on artistic creation
11
high school students from Living Word Lutheran High School
1
teacher — an alumna whose talent, creativity, and love for her alma mater guided the project
24
hands working together to shape each panel, representing CUW’s mission
1
grateful university community in awe of this generous gift
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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.