@valpo95 I was shocked by those numbers of incoming students being Lutheran. However, I see this as a huge opportunity and makes so much sense to have someone dedicated to re-engaging the Lutheran community. I recall that Incoming classes in the early 80’s were between 800 and 900 students. Let say, 800 and half were Lutheran, so about 400 were non-Lutheran. In 2025, we had almost 600 incoming students that weren’t Lutheran. So, maintaining that group, plus reconnecting with Lutheran community is an excellent strategy. It seems that with correct focus, we should be able to attract a couple 100 Lutheran students each year and thus quickly bolster our enrollment.
Regarding a community and its association or animosity with a university, this situation is not unique. A long while back, many Evanstonians wanted little to do with Northwestern.
I am not Lutheran, but getting back to Lutheran roots is a good strategy for Valpo. However, and Konkol appears very aware and smart about this, the stances or differences in Lutheran affiliations should not prevent us in the success of the university.
The creation of the Director of Lutheran High School Partnerships position is both a smart move and also a decision that highlights the absolutely disastrous - and utterly mystifying - decision of prior administrations to create distance from, if not ignore, our Lutheran roots.
We unnecessarily burned a lot of bridges. The person who undertakes this position can succeed but it’s gonna take a ton of work.
Paul
As I stated previously, I also believe that creating this position is a good move. Valpo needs to build good relationships with Lutheran high schools.
An experience that I had several years ago, however, points to some of the limits that the person in this role may face. Several years ago, I ended up playing golf with the AD and several coaches at Sheboygan Lutheran (who knew Jacob Ognacevic well). Without saying much, I listened to them talk about Jacob and Valpo. It was clear that they believed that Valpo was the wrong kind of Lutheran and that they believed a good Lutheran university would have an environment with most faculty and students having beliefs similar to theirs. Valpo will never be able to satisfy people like this - though (again) leveraging its Lutheran heritage is a wise thing to do and (I hope) will appeal to many.
Keep in mind, Jesuits market their universities to all Catholics and have great relationships with Catholic high schools - but know there are some who will deem their schools as 'not sufficiently Catholic'.