LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 82

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82

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS

• The Board of Regents has approved the CUC Foundation to move
forward with securing the necessary financial resources for the construction of a new state-of-the-art residence hall.
• The university continues to strengthen its international enrollment
through a partnership with the Hebei University of Economics
and Business in Shijiazhuang, China, and the establishment of
Concordia Dalian China.
• The Council for the Accreditation of Education Programs (CAEP)
has provided national recognition for the Master of Arts in
School Leadership—Principal Preparation and the EdD/PhD in
Educational Leadership—District Leadership, Superintendent
Preparation, which places the programs in the top 2 percent of all
graduate education programs nationally, rated for program quality
and support of national standards.
• The university was named to the US President’s Higher Education
Community Service honor roll for the sixth time. This is the highest federal recognition a college or university can receive for its
commitment to volunteering, service learning, and civic engagement. Approximately 59 percent of CUC students gave back to the
community during the 2013−14 school year through 11,426 service hours.
• The Hispanic-Serving Institutions Center for Policy and Practice
(HSICP2) named the university as an Emerging Hispanic-Serving
Institution in 2014−15. Twenty-four percent of undergraduates
identify as Hispanic; this recognition reflects the university’s commitment to serving an increasingly diverse student body.
• In October 2015, a team of three undergraduate computer science
students earned first place in the Chicago IEEEXtreme 24-Hour
Programming Competition, besting students in master’s and doctoral programs from other area universities.
• A collaborative program with Orchard Place Elementary School
in Des Plaines, Illinois, promotes college awareness at a young
age and encourages all students, regardless of socioeconomic or
other challenges, to set goals for college. Nine CUC alumni are
also teachers at Orchard Place. More than 250 students, parents,
and educators have participated in this college-bound program in
its sixth year at the university.
• Tomorrow’s Promise, a nationally recognized, innovative partnership between a local public school district, Fifth Third Bank, and
CUC resulted in the enrollment of 12 recent high school graduates in fall 2015 who were guided and mentored since sixth grade.
These students, from underserved communities, receive financial
and educational support throughout the program and are recipients
of scholarships and grants provided by the bank and CUC, which
cover four years of tuition, fees, and room and board.
• Three differentiating initiatives—focused on meeting societal and
intergenerational needs globally in the fields of early childhood
education, literacy, and gerontology—were adopted as key components of the university’s strategic plan.
• The Center for Gerontology pioneered several programs for community members in 2015 including Aging Well Initiatives for
55+, Memory Loss Initiatives, Christian Home Health Care, and
Gerontology Consultancy. Dr. John Holton, former director of the
Illinois Department on Aging, was named as director of the center.
• The Center for Literacy, established as a regional hub for the
research and practice of literacy, serves youth and adults throughout the Chicago region by providing innovative and meaningful
reading and comprehension teaching methods. Since 2014, 1,300
students (K–12) have taken part in programming, and 100 area educators have attended professional development sessions.
• The university opened a state-of-the-art fitness center that serves
as a training facility for student athletes and provides a unique
academic experience for students pursuing degrees in the field of
human performance.
2016 Convention Workbook

• In spring 2014, the Wind Symphony toured in China, performing
before audiences in Beijing, Xi’an, Hangzhou, and Shanghai. They
were also invited to perform at New York City’s Carnegie Hall as
the “showcase ensemble” of the New York Wind Band Festival.
The group will tour South Africa in 2017.
• Kapelle, the university’s premier choral ensemble, toured Poland
in spring 2015, performing sacred, contemporary, and traditional
music for Polish audiences. Kapelle also performed at Chicago
Symphony Center, home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, in
April 2015.
• The regional Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival
invited The Artists of Concordia Theatre, the university’s theaterproduction wing, to present productions for two consecutive years:
“In the Soundless Awe” in 2013 and “Roustabout: The Great Circus
Train Wreck!” in 2014.
• Dr. Michelle Morkert became the university’s seventh faculty member to be named as a Fulbright Scholar. From September 2014
through January 2015, Morkert taught two interdisciplinary courses
at the University of Zadar in Croatia as part of its American studies program.
• The Early Childhood Education Center, which holds distinguished
laboratory school status, received reaccreditation from the National
Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
• In collaboration with the LCMS Office of International Mission,
the university hosted 14 LCMS church leaders from Asia eager to
experience an LCMS university and the educational experience of
its students.
• With the addition of men’s and women’s lacrosse in 2015–16, the
university’s newest NCAA-level sports, the number of intercollegiate sports programs reached 19.
• More than 1,000 students, teachers, and parents from Lutheran
schools in the LCMS Northern Illinois District participated in
“Planting the Seeds of Mercy” 2015 Youth Rally in October 2015,
held on campus.
• National professional and semi-professional athletic teams across
the US—including the Chicago Cubs, Chicago Bears, Minnesota
Timberwolves, Chicago Sky, Chicago Bandits softball, Frisco
Rangers baseball, and the World Triathlon Corp (Ironman)—are
employers to several CUC alumni fulfilling exciting careers in marketing, broadcasting, public relations, and community outreach.
• Illinois’s prestigious Golden Apple Foundation honored its 14th
CUC education alum with the Golden Apple Award for Excellence
in Teaching. In addition, 21 CUC students have taken part or are
currently in the program as Golden Apple Scholars.
• Joe Jacoby, a 13-year National Football League all-pro offensive
lineman and member of three Washington Redskins Super Bowl
championship teams, serves as the offensive line coach for the university’s football team and was a nominee for induction to the Pro
Football Hall of Fame in 2015 and 2016.
• Underserved middle and high school students from the Chicago
region participated in a successful Youth Robotics Camp in which
they assembled, programmed, and debugged LEGO Mindstorms
EV3 and NTX robotics kits. In addition to learning the key mathematics skills to achieve the basic concepts behind their designs,
students interacted with and learned from CUC alumni and others
with successful careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics (STEM) fields.
• In 2015 and 2016, students participating in CUC’s Alternative
Spring Break program provided nearly 800 hours of service for
churches, schools, and Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans,
Louisiana, and Charleston, South Carolina.
• Dr. Benjamin Boche, assistant professor of education, was
awarded the STAND With Your Community grant by The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod. This grant, provided in celebration of