Baccalaureate and commencement ceremonies honor 657 graduates across campus.
Despite freezing temperatures outside, Concordia University Wisconsin honored the Class of 2025 on Saturday with a day rooted in faith, reflection and academic celebration. Graduates, families, faculty and staff gathered across campus to mark the culmination of years of study and preparation for lives of service.
Baccalaureate
The day began with the Baccalaureate Ceremony, held early in the day in the Chapel of Christ Triumphant. Baccalaureate is a worship service that sets a reflective and prayerful tone before commencement. Distinct from the graduation ceremony itself, it centers on God’s Word and invites graduates to pause and give thanks as they prepare to step into their vocations.
In keeping with a long-standing CUW tradition, the Baccalaureate sermon was delivered by an LCMS-ordained minister who is also the father of a graduate. This year’s preacher was Rev. David Blas, missionary-at-large at Good Shepherd, whose message carried both pastoral depth and personal meaning.
“I am truly honored to be asked to preach at this Baccalaureate Service,” Blas said. “I was selected because of my calling as a pastor and my connection to this wonderful community, and this year makes it even more special because my son is among the graduating class. It is a joy and a privilege to share God’s Word with all the graduates, reminding them of Christ’s faithfulness, His promises and the unique vocation He has called each of them to as they step into the next chapter of their lives.”
The worship service offered space for reflection, prayer and gratitude, grounding the celebration in Concordia’s Christ-centered mission before the formal conferral of degrees by President Erik Ankerberg and Dr. Leah Dvorak, vice president of academics.
Commencement
Later in the day, commencement brought graduates together inside the R. John Buuck Fieldhouse for the official awarding of degrees. In total, 657 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees were conferred across CUW’s six schools, marking a significant academic milestone for the university community.
The student commencement address was delivered by Rimsha Arooj, an MBA graduate from the Batterman School of Business, whose journey to graduation reflects resilience, faith and determination. Originally from Pakistan, where she grew up as part of the Christian minority, Arooj shared her story of perseverance and trust in God’s calling.
“Standing here today, I am filled with gratitude and emotion,” Arooj said. “This moment is not just about earning a degree; it is about courage, transformation and the power of faith.”
She spoke about leaving her home, family and culture to pursue growth and opportunity, grounding her journey in Scripture and faith. “As a Christian minority back home, I learned what it means to persevere in the face of challenges and to hold on to faith in God’s Word when the world feels uncertain,” she said, citing Romans 5:3-4.
Arriving in the United States to begin her studies at Concordia, Arooj described finding a community shaped by care and purpose. “This university was more than just a place to study; it was a community built on compassion, inclusion and purpose,” she said. “Here, I found professors who inspired me, classmates who became like family and a sense of belonging that reminded me that God places us exactly where we are meant to be.”
Arooj encouraged her classmates to view their education as a call to serve. “Concordia has taught me that education is not only about knowledge but about service,” she said. “Each one of us is called to serve where God sends us, no matter the challenges.”
She closed her address with a message of gratitude and resolve. “To the Class of 2025, we made it,” Arooj said. “Through every challenge, we stood tall, we believed and we overcame. Our journey does not end here; it begins a new chapter, brighter and stronger than ever.”
As graduates crossed the stage inside the fieldhouse, applause echoed and proud families looked on. The cold outside stood in contrast to a day marked by faith, perseverance and purpose, hallmarks of a Concordia education and the foundation on which the Class of 2025 now moves forward.
International graduates
This December’s commencement marked one of the largest celebrations of international graduates in Concordia University Wisconsin’s history. Approximately 230 international students crossed the stage, representing a significant portion of the Class of 2025.
Most of these graduates completed master’s-level programs, including the Master of Science in Computer Science, Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Business Analytics. A majority traveled to CUW from India to pursue their degrees. The graduating class also included two undergraduate students from Canada, one undergraduate student from Ukraine and one graduate student from Zimbabwe.
CUW is grateful for the academic excellence, global perspective and cultural richness these students brought to campus during their time at Concordia. Their journeys reflect the university’s commitment to serving students from around the world while preparing them for lives of leadership and service.
To read the spring 2025 commencement article highlighting international students and their college journeys, click here.
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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.