November 4, 2013 - Concordia University Wisconsin

November 4, 2013 Volume 32, Issue 3
The first homecoming
parade on campus 2
Post-Merger Accreditation for CUW/CUAA
By Mary steffenhagen
Staff Writer
Concordia University Wisconsin was recently
evaluated by The Higher Learning Commission
(HLC), the regional accreditation organization, due
to the 2013 merger with Concordia University Ann
Arbor. HLC representatives visited the Mequon
and Ann Arbor campuses on October 21 and 22 to
examine how the merger has affected areas such
as student life, academics, financial aid, and registration
processes, according to Dr. William Cario,
senior vice president of Academics.
Dr. Cario noted that many of the changes were
more visible to Ann Arbor students than Mequon
students.
“There will be a lot of changes that students
will not see,” he said. “To the vast majority of
Mequon students, their lives haven’t changed at
all.”
However, the merger has affected much of the
internal structure of the two schools.
“IT infrastructure has been reworked in many
ways to get Ann Arbor on the same system,” Cario
said.
The CUW faculty has also been working with
CUAA’s academic programs in order to match
them more closely with the programs offered in
Mequon.
Communication with HLC in this process
and others is a common and crucial procedure. Dr.
Cario said CUW frequently measures itself and
its progress against HLC’s standards to discover
“where do we need to strengthen our education
here at CUW.”
“The criteria for accreditation are things that
we can use to think about how we’re delivering
quality education,” said Dr. Elizabeth Evans, director
of the Center for Excellence in Learning and
Teaching, and a former peer reviewer in higher
education.
According to Dr. Cario, CUW also undertakes
self-evaluations every 10 years, ever since the first
accreditation in 1963.
These self-evaluations involve faculty and departments
“taking a look at themselves to figure
out what went well, to judge themselves against
HLC’s standards,” said Dr. Cario.
“One of the new things that they’re thinking
about these days has to do with student persistence,”
said Dr. Evans.
Making CUW a place from which students
find worthy to graduate is integral to the entire student
body and its experience, she noted.
“Going through the process helps to ensure
that Concordia is able and willing to provide
strong education experiences for students,” agreed
Dr. Cario.
The most recent self-study was in December
2012 and is available on the CUW website. The
HLC approved CUW’s proposal for the merger in
July and now will include the Ann Arbor campus
in all future assessments. ■
Athletics Brings Faith to the Forefront
By JENNIFER CLAUSING
Co-Editor
Starting this fall Dr. James Juergensen, Jr., director
of Faith Integration for Athletics, is attempting
to bridge the gap between CUW athletes and the
campus community.
According to Dr. Juergensen, who serves as
half-time professor of secondary education along
with his new position, the University’s progressive
tendency to hire full-time coaches instead of current
faculty has helped connect CUW athletes and the
larger campus community.
“I graduated from [CUW] in the early 90’s and
I played two sports here. I played basketball and
baseball here and for the most part my coaches were
also full-time faculty members, very connected with
the campus community. It was kind of a different
time and times have changed,” said Juergensen.
The ultimate goal for Dr. Juergensen is to reestablish
the tight knit relationship that used to exist
between athletics and academics by connecting as
many people as possible from the athletic program
to many and varied campus offerings.
While the responsibilities of the role are currently
open-ended, Juergensen hopes to work with
the full-time coaches and student captains to support
them in their faith through devotions and other
activities.
Junior Hockey Player Matt Gates contemplated
the possibilities of an integration of this nature.
“It’s really exciting. This spring it would be
great to go on a missions trip and get some of the
athletes involved in something like that,” he said.
Juergensen will also be working with CMLT’s
CORE Training (Conditioning Our Run Eternally)
program and is the first Athletics representative on
CUW’s Good Samaritan team, which reaches out to
at-risk students.
The Director of Faith Integration for Athletics,
a new position this fall, is an idea that Campus
Pastor Steve Smith had been thinking about for a
Alarming email sent
to students 2
Alarming Email Sent
to Students 2
Photo submitted by Jennifer Clausing
Dr. Juergensen is excited about his new role as Director
of Faith Integration for Athletics
couple of years.
“It seemed to make sense to have someone who
could work well within the Athletic Department in a
more intentional effort to connect with coaches and
teams,” said Smith.
Juergensen was supportive of the idea from the
beginning.
“I really do commend people like Pastor Smith
and President Ferry for saying ‘hey, this is something
that’s important to us on this campus’, and
kind of putting their money where their mouth is,
so to speak,” said Dr. Juergensen.
The role will continue to evolve as the different
parties interact and discover what works best, but
for now, Dr. Juergensen is just enjoying doing what
he loves.
“It really combines two of my passions which
are sports and faith. For me it’s kind of a dream situation
to be able to have an impact on people through
passions that I have.” ■
New track sparks
excitement for athletes 3
Credit Where it’s Due
By JOSIAH BUSS
Staff Writer
Courtesy of ncahlc.org
New Winterim classes
beginning in January 4
The urge for Concordia University Wisconsin students to print out
every slide and everything on Angel may have just been dealt a blow.
Until now, students received 500 printing credits each semester with the
opportunity to receive additional credits free of charge. However, these
freebies are now a thing of the past.
According to an email sent to students at the beginning of the year,
the disbursement of free extra printing credits has ceased. In that email,
the IT department cited 25 requests for more free printing credits within
the first two days of the school year, a number they deemed as too many.
Instead of granting those and more requests, they chose to reset all accounts
to 500 credits, but any additional credits for the semester would
need to be purchased at a rate of $.03 per page.
This change has been on many students’ minds, particularly those in
classes that contain many electronic materials to print. Sophomore Grant
Sorenson expressed the frustration felt by many.
“We’re already paying enough to go to school here. Now we may
have to pay more to print what professors require for class. This is based
on the actions of just a few students, so why is everyone being penalized
for the actions of the few?” said Sorenson.
But according to Dr. William Cario, senior vice president of Academics,
this change is a necessary one. Alluding to both environmental
sustainability and cost, he says it is a delicate balancing act.
“Where is the school’s responsibility for providing the resources
compared with the student’s responsibility? As we looked around, most
institutions charge from the get-go,” he said.
Part of the need to print, he says, has come from an effort by faculty
to save students money.
“Faculty have tried to move away from expensive textbooks by
having more things for students to print and looking for more electronic
resources.”
The Director of Computing Operations, Mark Newhouse, agrees
with Dr. Cario.
“We are by no means trying to punish students. Waste and misuse
have been rampant. Rather than eating the cost, we want students to be
more responsible,” he said.
Newhouse also pointed out that this is not a way for IT or the University
to make money.
“We’re selling them [print credits] at a loss,” he said.
Whether this change in policy will change student habits remains to
be seen. “There is nothing where I thought to myself ‘Oh boy people are
printing less’” says Library Assistant, Paige Miller.
From the University’s perspective, the changes appear to be positive
so far. Newhouse reports that requests and purchases have been down,
and he expects total usage to be down for the year. In order to make this
change easy for students, Newhouse has several suggestions. He recommends
using the duplex printing option, printing PowerPoint note pages
instead of full slides, and using the “share” function of the PaperCut software
to give personal printing credits to others. He added that the number
of credits given will be re-evaluated at the end of the semester.
The full impact of this decision may not be known until the last pages
are printed for the semester in December. Until then the magic number
remains at 500. ■
Mequon, Wisconsin
www.cuw.edu/beacon
Copyright © 2013 The Concordia Beacon

The Beacon November 4, 2013
On-Campus Homecoming Parade
By ASHLEY WALTERS
Staff Writer
The Shanty Town Experience
By OLIVIA JOHNSON
Staff Writer
It is not every day that a college campus is transformed into a cardboard box village. However, on Oct. 11 at
Concordia University Wisconsin that is exactly what happened. The school, along with the Ozaukee County Chapter
of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, partnered up to raise money for the Habitat for Humanity Lakeside Chapter. The
event was initiated by Diana Eggold of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans but Concordia’s Street Team, a ministry
group that reaches out to those struggling in inner city Milwaukee, did much of the on-campus work.
“I contacted Concordia last January and it really took until August for the idea to gain momentum and approval
at Concordia. Darcy Paape, Rachel, and the rest of the Street Team, in connection with Dr. Ferguson, have really
helped make this event a reality,” said Eggold.
For the event, Concordia students built shanties out of cardboard, plastic sheeting, string, and duct tape and then
spent the night in their creations. Participants were allowed to bring items such as sleeping bags and warm clothes,
but the event was supposed to give them a small taste of what homelessness may feel like.
“I’m just excited because it will really impact the kids. Not only are they learning about it but to some extent
they will be experiencing what it might be like to be homeless for a night,” said Rachel Ferguson, co-leader of Street
Team.
In addition to spending the night in the shanties, the students were also able to participate in other activities.
Friday evening there was a scavenger hunt, prizes awarded for various contests, a bonfire, and a worship setting. On
Saturday, students had the opportunity to be bused into Milwaukee to participate in a servant event at Milwaukee
Rescue Mission, a non-profit organization that provides support to those struggling with homelessness in the city. The
last activity of the day was a soup kitchen style lunch served on Concordia’s campus.
According to Darcy Paape, assistant in Campus Ministry, the money raised by this event is going to be put
toward building three houses in Port Washington. The startup cost for each house is $10,000 and Thrivent Financial
has agreed to match what the students raise.
“We are hoping that the participants can raise $5000 and our Chapter is using its Care Abounds in Communities
funds to match every donation dollar for dollar up to $5000,”said Eggold.
According to Lauren McLeod, a Concordia student who participated in both days’ events, it was a very humbling
experience, especially going to Milwaukee Rescue Mission.
“It’s incredible because you don’t see that very often,” said McLeod. “There are hundreds of volunteers that just
want to give them love and the word of God. It’s a remarkable experience.” ■
The Importance of Internships
By ELIZABETH CLARK
Co-Editor
Albert Einstein once said, “The only source of knowledge is experience.” Completing
internships while working through an undergraduate education is essential to the learning
process, according to Dr. Paul Zietlow, professor of Business Communication at CUW.
Internship credits are required in the curriculum for most undergraduate majors.
Healthcare majors must participate in clinicals and education majors must practice student
teaching; no matter what major a student is studying, experience is key. In fact, students
are encouraged to complete at least two internships throughout their time at CUW.
“The first internship serves a training purpose, giving students a feel for the workplace.
The second is then a more focused position through which students continue to
work towards their desired careers,” said Dr. Zietlow.
College students are frequently asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
In reality, some students sincerely don’t know yet. Participating in various internship programs
is one way to discover the answer to that question.
As for the students who already have their hearts set on their desired career path,
internships have proven beneficial for them too. While students may already know what
they want to do, they may not have the experience or connections necessary to get the job
they want; this is where internships come in.
Concordia University Wisconsin students and the
surrounding community gathered on Friday, Sep. 13, to
watch the third annual Homecoming Parade, which was
held on campus for the first time to gain more student
involvement, according to Philip Helge, one of the student
coordinators.
“Community participation was low, and since it’s
more about the students and trying to get them to participate,
I think it was moved onto campus to save people the
trouble of going into Mequon,” said Helge.
Dr. Andy Luptak, vice president of Student Life, started
the parade two years ago to help build a relationship
with the community around CUW. The parade previously
took place in downtown Thiesnville. This year, flyers
were sent to local churches, businesses, schools, and some
youth football organizations inviting them to CUW for
the parade and activities afterwards. Dawgs in Motion, a
canine spa and activity center, was a local business that
participated in the parade.
“I think it is important to have the community involvement,”
said Sheila Cotton, temporary coordinator for
Student Activities and Orientation at CUW. “We are in the
community. We are always striving to get them involved
and have good relationships with them, so the parade
helps keep that relationship,” she added.
A total of 18 floats and walking groups participated in
the parade, including student organizations like Campus
Ministry Leadership Team, the Multicultural Student
Group, sports teams, resident halls, and the Homecoming
court. Participants handed out t-shirts, CUW Frisbees, and
candy to the excited spectators.
A group of students watched the parade from the third
floor balcony of the Coburg dormitory.
“I thought it was a very good parade,” said Jay Noelker,
a senior at Concordia. “There was free stuff, Freddy
the Falcon, and lots of enthusiasm. President Ferry was
my favorite part,” he added.
Three members of the CUW faculty and staff, Dr.
Randall Ferguson, Barbara Wilson, and Ryan Hurst,
judged the floats and walking groups. They judged based
on creativity, the masquerade theme, spirit, and originality.
The winning float, Student Government Association,
earned the right to put their name on the Freddy the Falcon
statue and keep it in their office for the year.
The parade was followed by a carnival at the north
end of campus with a petting zoo, a live karaoke band,
carnival type food, carnival games with prizes, and a dunk
tank.
“As an alum, it is great to see Concordia doing things
like this for Homecoming,” said Steve Taylor, a Concordia
alumnus, and director of Financial Aid at CUW.
He attended the parade with his wife Sonia and their
three children. The kids really enjoyed the parade, especially
the free candy.
“It went really well,” said Julie Sperstad, coordinator
of Student Events and Education. “There was a lot of
people watching and getting involved with stuff afterwards,”
she added.
The two previous parades had thirty groups participate
in the parade, as compared to the eighteen this
year. Sperstad believes this was because of the fact that
homecoming was earlier than normal this year, which
gave participates little time to prepare and some clubs and
groups had not started yet.
“It may just be something that needed the groundwork
the first few years,” said Helge. “We have to wait
and see how it builds. It will start small and hopefully
keep growing.” ■
Photos submitted by Ashley Walters
Alarming Email
Sent to Students
By SPENCER VERVELDE
Staff Writer
‘Shots Fired on Campus’ is something students at any
university would be alarmed by. Although it didn’t happen
on Concordia’s campus, it is still a big issue to think about
and be prepared for in case it does. In the past few years
there have been numerous mass shootings in the United
States, and the topic shouldn’t be taken lightly said Dr.
Andrew Luptak, vice president of Student Life.
In mid-September, Luptak sent an email out to all
students entitled ‘Shots fired on campus.’ It was alarming
to a few students, but also served as a reminder to some
that dangerous things happen and it’s always good to be
prepared.
Emily Hengst, a student at Concordia, mentioned she
was shocked when she saw the email.
“It’s good to be reminded though of the crazy possibilities
that could actually happen as well as what procedures
should be followed if something like that were to actually
happen,” said Hengst.
The Concordia portal has a brief video under the campus
life tab that covers the exact procedures if something
like that were to actually happen. It’s a 20 minute video that
covers how to protect yourself if shots were fired on campus
and Concordia’s procedures if that happened.
President Ferry has assured that Concordia has a great
record of security and safety, but also mentioned that you
cannot take anything for granted.
“We’ve practiced different scenarios, and situations if
something devastating were to happen such as actual shots
being fired on campus. We have made this campus as safe
as possible,” said Ferry.
Although shots were never fired on Concordia’s Campus,
Luptak says it is a good reminder to be aware of the
procedures if something like that were to ever happen. ■
“Internships are very beneficial; they make you realize you’re not the only one fighting
for a job. My internship experiences have brought me one step closer to securing a job
after graduation,” said Lauren Polkinghome, senior at CUW.
According to Forbes Business Journal, 69% of companies with 100 or more employees
offered full-time jobs to their interns in 2012. Forbes suggests that internships have
become a necessity for undergraduate students interested in entering the fiercely competitive
job market.
“Internships provide the opportunity for students to develop networks, prove themselves,
and show how valuable they are in the workplace,” remarked Dr. Zietlow.
Falcon Jobs, CUW’s online job board, is a place for CUW students to start their
internship search. Through Falcon Jobs, employers post internship opportunities and students
can post their resumes.
For further information and assistance, contact Career Services at career.services@
cuw.edu or visit https://www.myinterfase.com/concordiawisconsin/employer. ■

The Beacon - Falcon Sports November 4, 2013
New Head Volleyball Coach Leads Team in a New Direction
By SABRINA BOEHLKE
Staff Writer
The 2013 Concordia University of Wisconsin’s volleyball season holds much promise
after sweeping the Concordia Invitational Tournament on August 31. This was the third
time winning the annual CIT tournament. The last time CUW won was in 2010. Compared
to the previous year, it was a complete turnaround; they went from losing every
single game to this year winning them all.
“We were just outstanding; we were unstoppable,” says the new Head Coach, Janelle
Gabrielsen-Katz.
Due to the new policy of hiring full-time coaches, Gabrielsen-Katz was recently
hired with a whole new coaching staff. Gabrielsen-Katz graduated from the University of
Madison in 2012 and brought her volleyball talent with her. She has played competitively
since 5th grade and four years at UM as the setter/right side.
Gabrielsen-Katz is 23 years old, which is the youngest volleyball coach CUW has
ever had.
“Age doesn’t matter to me. I’m just really excited that I got this opportunity and I
think that it’s nice in a way that I am fresh in the system [and more] in the new age,” she
said.
Last year she was one of the assistants and knows the differences between this season
and last season. She explained how she has introduced new methods and a “faster offence”
to the team.
Senior volleyball player and Team Captain, Lauran Gonring, has played four years at
CUW and agrees that there is change.
New Track, New Beginnings
By JASMIN BOWERS
Staff Writer
“I see a lot of changes, the atmosphere is less negative but more intense, and every
practice is different…The team is really coming together,” she said.
The CIT tournament was proof that the team has talent, sweeping each team including
Ann Arbor, a Division II school who has won it numerous times. When playing Ann Arbor
the “atmosphere seemed friendlier” says CUW student Courtney Ferry. She thought that
maybe it was because of the merger between the two schools.
There was a great turn out, “we had a great crowd, including Freddy and the JV girls
who came out and supported. Also President Ferry was present, supporting both CUW and
Ann Arbor, which was awesome. The girls just took that energy from the crowd and ran
with it and we beat some good teams,” said Gabrielsen-Katz.
Gonring also agreed that “the CIT tournament was really fun, everyone was connecting
with each other and it felt easy, the support from our school was awesome.”
Since the tournament, the team has been in a bit of a slump but Gabrielsen-Katz sees
a change in the near future. “We have been playing some really tough teams….we’re
definitely playing against some good competition,” she admits, but she said the team is
coming together and sees a promising season.
Gonring agrees that they are “playing a lot stronger than last year. I think it’s all in
our heads but we have some great talent.”
She believes that the volleyball program is improving in general and cannot wait to
see the team and school succeed. ■
to practice on,” Track Captain, Kristen Sitte, stated. “It is nice to have a facility that will
better prepare us for competition and work us to our fullest potential, while also cutting
down on the injuries that the track team experiences.”
Even before the start of the season in early November, Coach Russell Delap can see
a change in his athletes.
“[I see] a change in attitude. In previous years people were embarrassed. They didn’t
feel good about going out there practicing, but now they are,” he stated.
A new track, however, does not mean home meets. Due to a lack in other fields
needed for meets such as throwing and jumping pits, all track meets will still be held
at competitors’ schools. There is a promise from the athletic department that an indoor
track and field facility will be built which can support the hosting of indoor meets at
Concordia University Wisconsin. ■
Aerial photo provided by CUW’s Marketing Department
The newest addition to Concordia athletic facilities is the repaved track which was
completed over the summer.
Concordia’s track and field team has been flourishing the last few years, but was
held down due to the usage of a beaten down, worn out track. This is the year for
change. After dealing with whole chunks around 20 feet wide blowing over in the wind
and visible asphalt, the track has been blessed to see a top-to-bottom change in the
outdoor facility.
There were many factors contributing to the destruction of the previous track including
misuse, vehicles being driven over the surface, natural wear and tear, and many
other issues. This wear and tear is to be expected after 30 years of service. According to
Director of Athletics, Dr. Robert Barnhill, repairs from four years ago still didn’t make
the cut.
The new track is said to be of very high quality, according to the coaching staff. A
Beynon brand track, it is said to be the best of the best material for a track.
“Over 53% of the top 20 NCAA D1 championships are run on this surface,” Coach
Samantha Bloxdorf stated.
Coaches and athletes alike are very excited to see what is in store for the team,
from fewer injures to more recruits. Now that it is resurfaced, spike use is increased
and shin splints can be decreased.
“It is very exciting for us as a track and field program to finally have a new track
Falcon Sports Go Indoors
By EVAN NICKEL
Staff Writer
As soon as the new dorm building, Chemnitz, reaches completion on Concordia’s
campus, plans are already in the works for the University’s next construction project.
According to Concordia’s 2013 Strategic Plan, the next building project to be
constructed on campus will be an indoor sports complex.
“We see it as a need that will be very beneficial to the students and student athletes
here at Concordia,” said President Ferry.
However, it appears that the proposed completion date of this indoor sports complex,
September 2014, will be a very tough deadline to meet. At this time no capital
campaign has begun nor has any fundraising effort been launched. At this point in
time, the University is in the process of gathering preliminary information regarding
possible donors and getting estimates on building costs.
Due to the uncertainty of the indoor sports complex at the moment, very little information
has been released to the public. With what little information has come out,
all indications are that the new complex will be built in the space between the football
field and the softball field in the space on the north side of campus. According to
Ferry, the building itself will take up the majority of the space and will force the road
that wraps around campus to be rerouted to make way for this new complex.
Inside the complex, a 200-meter indoor track will be the highlight of the new
structure. In addition, new locker rooms and a new weight training facility will accompany
the track providing further indoor space for Falcon sports.
Needless to say this new building will come as a blessing to a university that has
seen a very large increase in athletic teams in the past decade. With fluctuating Wisconsin
weather, many teams are forced indoors when the weather turns nasty. However,
not all the teams can possibly practice in the limited space currently available.
This new complex will complement the John R. Buuck Fieldhouse and provide
space for Concordia sports teams to practice out of the elements year round. ■
Courtesy of cuwfalcons.com
Pcitured above is Senior Tennis Player Tanner Hahn
Team Domination
By ANDREW KOLLMORGEN
Staff Writer
Which Concordia University Wisconsin sports team has won 14 of its last 15 conference
titles in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference? That would be CUW Men’s
Tennis. They have dominated over the years and have won three consecutive conference
championships, which includes going 28-0 in conference play.
The men’s tennis team’s season will start in the spring, and will return missing only
one of their top six hitters. Five returning seniors look to bring another conference championship
back to Concordia following this season. The five seniors are Skip Turner, Russell
Johnson, Ryan Buffamonte, Tanner Hahn, and Garrett Wells.
The Falcons will have an inter-squad tournament which will determine the number
one hitter, the number two hitter and so on. This is designed to place the players in the best
positions to make them and the team successful.
“We have a lot of returning players, not only guys that played varsity last year but
guys that were right on the edge of varsity last year and…are ready to step up and fill those
gaps,” said senior Skip Turner.
The men’s tennis team has been on a dominating tear throughout the last decade, but
especially the last three years.
“I’m proud to be a part of this, especially since our senior class has a chance to win
four straight championships in conference over our entire collegiate career. It’s kind of
overwhelming to be a part of something so great,” said senior Garrett Wells.
While the athletes are talented, some credit has to go to Head Coach Tom Weber for
his scheduling.
“The non-conference competition is pretty tough, that gives us more competition, and
has helped make us stronger than last year,” said Weber.
During spring break he takes the team down to Hilton Head, South Carolina, to play
in a tournament with some of the best Division III teams in the nation. While the team does
not necessarily fair as well as they want to at this tournament, they gain a lot of experience
and learn the game at a faster level, with tougher competition.
Turner, who returns as one of the team’s top hitters, has high hopes for the season.
“This season will hopefully turn out like the previous three seasons did which include
winning the regular season conference title along with the end of the year conference team
tournament which has given us an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III National Tournament,”
said Turner.
The team knows that conference games are not given, they are earned, and so the team
is practicing every week, getting out on the courts, and working hard to make the goal of
four straight conference titles a reality. ■

The Beacon November 4, 2013
Chinooks Interns Play Ball
By KEVIN WINTER
Staff Writer
Concordia University Wisconsin’s
Kapko Park plays host to the Lakeshore
Chinooks as members of the Northwoods
League in a 70-game baseball season
from May through August. Lakeshore
finished the first half of the season one
half game out of first place and took home
the second-half Southern division crown,
completing just its second season on a high
note.
Not only were the Chinooks successful
on the field but the NWL also serves as
an opportunity for college students to gain
experience in a sports organization off the
field at various levels as well.
This past summer 53 interns assisted
in ticket sales, marketing, on-field operations,
broadcast media, and front-office
work along with a variety of other tasks
needed to make a successful baseball organization.
Ten of the interns attend Concordia
University Wisconsin and played an
integral role in the success of the team on
and off the field.
In the Northwoods League, or any
other minor league baseball setting for that
matter, the game is only a portion of the
fan experience.
Each half inning is filled with contests
for fans to participate in both on and off
the field. CUW Junior Taylor Grenlie was
part of a three-person team that headed
these nightly efforts.
“Nothing ever seemed to be the same,
even though we do the same general
lineup of activities every day, people aren’t
always reliable, our staff rotated, props
changed occasionally, the people involved
in our pre-game activities changed every
day, and you always wanted it to feel like
each day was different to mix things up,”
said Grenlie.
Tyler Schulze, a senior Mass Communication
student, worked with a team
of students to produce the nightly webcast
of the games. He gained an entirely new
perspective on the game.
“The game of baseball… when you
watch it on TV, it doesn’t seem so fast, but
when you get behind the camera it feels
ten times faster.”
As students may or may not know,
Concordia University Wisconsin has a
radio station. Yes it’s true; students can
listen to an actual radio station run by
students on campus. It’s called WCUW,
the Talon, and it’s available in the dorms
on Channel 9 or 101.3 FM.
Current station manager, Matthew
Doty, has been a part of the radio station
since the fall of 2010.
“It’s a fun community,” said Doty
Thirteen students are involved with
the station and a number of them have
their own shows. One of those students
is senior Katie Bumby, who didn’t even
know about the radio station until her
sophomore year. She encourages students
to get involved.
“I think students should take advantage
of it because it’s something the
school offers,” Bumby said.
This goes for not only students who
want to have their own show, but also for
those who want to listen.
“You never know, there might be a
show on with music you like, and if not,
make your own show!” Bumby said.
Her program, Speakeasy Radio
Waves, airs on Saturdays from 7:00 to
9:00 pm and she plays mainly oldies ranging
from the 1920’s to 1950’s.
Among the other students involved,
Doty commented that Communication
majors, especially Mass Communication,
play a significant role in the success of the
Courtesy of lakeshorechinooks.com
Tune In to CUW Radio
By ALISSA STEINSDOERFER
Staff Writer
The product that fans see on the field
begins well before the first pitch or even
the opening of the gates for the first time
in May.
“I decided in the beginning of the
year that the Chinooks offered a unique
experience that I could be a part of while
going to school....I realized how crucial it
is to gain experience in the sports industry
and this may also allow me to pursue other
interests in the field down the road,” said
Grenlie.
Seniors Kristin Sitte and Mackenzie
Siemans worked with the athletic training
staff and got a chance of a lifetime to
work with some of the best athletes in the
country.
“This was valuable experience with
Division 1 athletes that we would not have
gotten from anywhere else at the present
time. Constant change in the roster, as
well as the demanding and unpredictable
schedule due to cancellations, rain delays,
and extra innings [is something we had to
adjust to],” they said.
The Northwoods League strives to
give players an opportunity to showcase
their skills in front of scouts on a nightly
basis in hopes of one day adding their
name to the list of over 115 players to see
time on a Major League Baseball roster in
the 20-year history of the league. ■
station. Students do not, however, have
to be a Communication major to work for
the radio station.
“We get other people that utilize it
as a place to kinda get away from their
responsibilities,” Doty said. “It’s a good
place to release.”
He also made it clear that the radio
station values student participation.
Although students can see a live video
stream of radio programs on Channel 9,
workers value interacting with viewers.
“Something that DJs like is when
people actually come down to the station
and hang out,” Doty said.
Doty said the station has many different
programs including country, alternative,
and classic rock programs. There is
also “Falcon’s Sports Weekly” which airs
Sundays from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Doty
describes it as an ESPN type show that
updates students on CUW sports. Doty’s
morning show, “Matt in the Morning,”
also includes a small news segment. The
majority of the programs, though, are
music.
More information about WCUW, the
Talon, including the Fall 2013 schedule,
can be found on its Facebook page at facebook.com/WCUWtheTalon.
Students who are interested in being
part of the radio station can contact Doty
at matthew.doty@cuw.edu. They can also
stop by Albrecht 118 located in the hallway
leading to Wartburg on campus. ■
Growing International Focus
By MEGAN PANARUSKY
Staff Writer
Two new admission counselors
dedicated to international students started
at Concordia University Wisconsin on
September 23rd.
According to Dr. David Birner, executive
director of CUW’s Office of International
Education, the counselors were hired
to help raise CUW’s international student
population to 10 percent of the student
body. President Ferry set this goal.
“What President Ferry really wants
to do is build the foundation for a global
village here, and to do that we need to start
building the linkage between our international
connections,” said Birner.
This vision is directly reflected in the
responsibilities of the new counselors.
Birner explained that in addition to working
with students, Sarah Coban will help CUW
prepare internally for the increased diversity,
while Cherise Beardsley will be turning
CUW’s partnerships with international
universities and recruiters into an integrated
system.
Birner thinks 10 percent is a reachable
goal, but he admits that this number
is aggressive, especially compared to what
many universities in the area are aiming for.
Christine Kao, the OISS Director of the
Asia-Pacific Region, recognizes that hiring
two admission counselors is a small step.
New Winterim Classes
By ALISSA STEINSDOERFER
Staff Writer
With the fall semester already half way
over, it’s time for students to start thinking
about Winterim. If they haven’t signed up
for classes already, students may be pleased
to hear about some new courses offered
during the three weeks in January.
One of the new classes is COMM 379:
Imaginary Worlds in Media, taught by Dr.
Mark Wolf. The class discusses worlds created
in fiction, such as those in Star Wars
and the Lord of the Rings. It looks at more
than just one character or story arc.
“How is a world different than just a
story?” said Dr. Wolf.
The course is based off of Dr. Wolf’s
recent book, Building Imaginary Worlds:
The Theory and History of Subcreation,
focusing on the history of imaginary worlds
and how they work. He will be teaching
about worlds in film, television, video
games, websites, comics, and more.
If any students are interested in taking
this course, but are not a Communication
major, Dr. Wolf says it’s alright.
“[It’s open to] Comm. students or
English students, or any student who enjoys
thinking about these things,” says Dr. Wolf.
She estimates that 12 additional staff would
be needed to support the 800 students that
the 10 percent goal represents – an increase
of 500 from the approximately 300 international
students currently enrolled.
Although the goal may be high by
current standards, Birner thinks it shows
insight on Ferry’s part.
“Our graduates have to be adept at operating
in multiple cultural environments,”
said Birner.
Kao also attests to the value of cultural
immersion for international students. They
have learned language and culture in their
native classrooms, but these things actually
become skills when they are practiced.
“You know how to swim, but you gotta
jump in the water,” Kao said. “Coming to
America is like jumping into cold water.”
Sheela Borugadda, a graduate student
from India, has seen the fruit of this immersion
in her own life.
“Work and classes make me talk more
– they change me a lot,” she said.
As for the admission counselors,
Birner had clear expectations. “I was looking
for someone who understood the world
is a big place,” he said. Out of a surprisingly
high number of applicants, Coban and
Beardsley not only have this understanding,
but also demonstrate energy and passion. ■
The other new course offered this
Winterim is THTR 225: On-Camera Acting
and Production, taught by Lori Woodall.
This course will be teaching students how
to act for the camera with film and television.
Theater and Comm. students will learn
from the acting and directing perspectives
respectively.
“It’s a way of bridging communication
departments,” says Woodall.
Like Dr. Wolf’s course, any interested
student can take THTR 225 and it meets
the core arts requirement. It’s available for
students who would like to perform, write,
produce, or be involved with film production.
Woodall even mentioned that they’ll
be working with the green screen room on
campus.
According to Woodall, Theater students
have been asking for this class for some
time and she is excited to see where it goes.
“[It] could birth an on-campus television
show,” says Woodall.
Students can sign up for these and
many other Winterim courses online
through CUW’s Portal. ■
The Beacon
Adjunct Professor Craig McCarthy
Faculty Advisor
Elizabeth Clark, Co-Editor
Jennifer Clausing, Co-Editor
Nathan Kerner, Co-Editor
Official Staff Writers:
Sabrina Boehlke, Jasmin Bowers, Josiah Buss, Matthew Doty, Chelsey
Johnson, Olivia Johnson, Andrew Kollmorgen, Evan Nickel, Megan
Panarusky, Mary Steffenhagen, Alissa Steinsdoerfer, Sarah Stella,
Spencer VerVelde, Ashley Walters, Kevin Winter
Review Board:
Dr. Jeff Walz & Jeff Bandurski
The Beacon newspaper is the official student newspaper of Concordia University
Wisconsin, and its target audience is the University’s community.