A lighthearted exchange about homework, baseball and a little grace has put Concordia University Wisconsin in the social media spotlight.
It all started Tuesday night at a Milwaukee Brewers World Series watch party, when FOX6 Milwaukee caught up with Concordia University Wisconsin student Gabe Hengst. With the excitement of the World Series in full swing, Hengst admitted that his homework might not get finished on time. He even gave his professor a shoutout on television, hoping Dr. Jonathan Balsman might extend a little grace.
The next day, FOX6 decided to follow up. The station tracked down Balsman, CUW assistant professor of education and mathematics, and brought him on live to respond to his student’s televised plea. Adding to the fun? Balsman is a Chicago Cubs fan, making the exchange between professor and student an especially entertaining moment during Milwaukee’s championship run.
But the story didn’t end with the television interview. On Oct. 28, CUW shared the FOX6 segment across its social media channels, and the response was extraordinary. As the Brewers celebrated their World Series victory, the lighthearted Concordia moment was finding an audience of its own.
As of Oct. 29, the post had generated 3.45 million views across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube, along with 284,924 engagements. That included more than 10,600 shares, 8,000 saves and 2,100 reposts. Viewers had spent a combined 4,116 hours watching the video on Facebook, TikTok and YouTube alone, the equivalent of approximately 172 days of continuous viewing.
What began as a student’s playful request for a homework extension became a memorable moment of connection between a student, his professor and millions of viewers. It’s a reminder that the relationships formed at Concordia can make an impression far beyond the classroom. And while the Brewers may have taken home the World Series trophy, Hengst and Balsman gave CUW a victory worth celebrating, too.
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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.