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New Connections and Opportunities for Alumni

Rev. Randy Raasch and Kris Best were among the alumni who gathered at a rooftop event in August 2016. The event was one of the new ways Concordia is continuing to engage and celebrate its alumni.Rev. Randy Raasch and Kris Best were among the alumni who gathered at a rooftop event in August 2016. The event was one of the new ways Concordia is continuing to engage and celebrate its alumni.

Editor’s note: This story first appeared in the fall 2016 issue of Concordian, the official magazine of Concordia University Wisconsin. View a PDF version of the magazine here.

Alumni of all ages enjoyed a privileged opportunity to socialize on the rooftop deck at the Milwaukee Athletic Club on August 8. Hosted by Concordia University Wisconsin’s Alumni Association Council, this end-of-summer event welcomed more than 50 alumni and friends for an evening of networking and reconnecting with their alma mater.

Among the guests were members of the Council’s newly formed executive committee, including Chairperson Rev. Randy Raasch (’78), pastor at First Immanuel Lutheran Church in Cedarburg, Wisconsin; President Chez Misko (’96), COO of the Milwaukee Athletic Club; Vice President Kris Best (’93), vice president of finance at BVK, an advertising agency in Milwaukee; Celeste Cuffie (’06), career coach and consultant; and Benjamin Rohde (’09), director of career services at CUW. Michelle “Mickie” Wagner (’96) is the director of alumni relations at CUW and serves as the University liaison to the Council.

CUW alumna Celeste Cuffie and her husband, Sheldon, attended the August 2016 alumni rooftop event.

CUW alumnus Chez Misko, COO of Wisconsin Athletic Club, is the president of Concordia’s newly created Alumni Association Council.

CUW alumnus Mark Scholz chats with Dr. Dan Sem, dean of Concordia’s Batterman School of Business, and Mickie Wagner, alumni director, at an August 2016 alumni event.

“I’ve met so many alumni who share a common vision of connecting with each other,” said Best. “As a parent of a high school student, I’m especially excited that the Council is focusing on mentorship opportunities. It will be rewarding to help connect CUW students with alumni in their field of study to help them find meaningful work and a common bond.”

According to Wagner, CUW’s alumni are responding to the new energy. More than 1,100 alumni recently completed a University survey, and identified that they desire more networking and career development opportunities.

Next month, the Alumni Office, under the advisement of the Council, is planning a soft launch of CUWConnect.com, an innovative social media platform, where students and alumni can connect for mentorships, and career and community opportunities.

The Council is currently recruiting mentors and event volunteers. For more information, please contact Michelle Wagner atmichelle.wagner@cuw.edu.

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