About

85th Annual Conference - October 3, 2020 (Virtual)

Using the Past to Inform Our Future

This year, we take a keen eye toward the long arc of history and our place in it. As we move into an uncertain future, the sage within us whispers to heed the warnings of the past to help guide our future. What lessons should we take from those that came before, and what warnings should we heed? Which voices have been silenced, and which have been amplified? How can this information help us as we move into the future?

As members in the family of the human race, we have wept alongside our brothers and sisters at the events of the summer and the racial injustice that still persists. We’ve witnessed marches and protests invoking the same language used 50 years ago, and we remember the struggles of the civil rights movement as we work to complete the work left undone.

As American citizens, we watch as the social and political landscape of our nation continues to experience its own series of upheavals and tensions. During an election year, these tensions are exacerbated, and “us versus them” rhetoric has proliferated. Where is the spirit of unity, fraternity, and cooperation? Whither to be found “E Pluribus Unum”?

• Conference Hosted VIRTUALLY by Concordia University Texas in Austin, Texas

Session 1

9:20 am Medieval Virtue for the Modern Student

Brian Harries (Concordia University, Wisconsin) and Susan Mobley (Concordia University, Wisconsin)

This presentation will consider how medieval concepts of virtue still have an (often unacknowledged) impact on students' modern perception of the world.

9:40 am Dreams and the Unspoken World of Desire in Alice Munro's The Love of a Good Woman

Camelia Raghinaru (Concordia University, Irvine)

Gothic structures that emerged in the 18th century novel continue to shape contemporary fiction and illuminate in new ways the liminal dimension of the domestic space.

10:00 am Musicians in the Face of Adversity: How Musicians Have Adapted and Can Continue to Adapt

Alexa Doebele (Concordia University, Wisconsin)

In this session we will explore some of the ways in which musicians have demonstrated resourcefulness in the face of adversity, and we will consider the lessons that can be learned from them as we face an uncertain future in the coronavirus era.

10:20 am Finding Jesus at the Border: A Lutheran Theological Approach to Guiding Students to an Understanding Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric and Latinx Fiction in the George Floyd Era

Brian Gunderson (Concordia University, Wisconsin)

This paper focuses on helping our students to see undocumented immigrants as neighbors through curriculum change and how we teach Latinx fiction at Lutheran and Christian universities.

10:40 am Witnessing and Ministering to the Abraham Lincolns of Today

James Pingel (Concordia University, Wisconsin)

This presentation will demonstrate how the life of Abraham Lincoln provides an excellent blueprint for the contemporary Christian church to use in its evangelism efforts in meeting and serving the needs of the “Lincolns” in our world today.

11:00 am Putting (past) paradigms in their place: Social science method and the Preeminence of Christ

Preston Cosgrove (Concordia University, Wisconsin)

The social sciences offer a vision of the future informed by distinct historic paradigms, the Enlightenment or Post-modernity. Instead I argue that human reason and agency are properly oriented by the Preeminence of Christ as the transcendent truth.

Workshop 1

11:30 am Women in Lutheran Higher Education: Calling, Connection, and Creative Leadership

Katie Fischer (Concordia University, St. Paul) and Sara Kellogg (Concordia University, St. Paul)

Women in Lutheran higher education can benefit from exploring one’s calling, creating meaningful connections, and utilizing creative leadership principles to support personal and professional leadership during these unprecedented times.

Session 2

12:30 pm Computer Animation: Learning from the Past

Robert Wahl (Concordia University, Wisconsin)

Computer animation has its roots in hand-drawn animation. This paper details why it is vital for today’s students of computer animation to learn from the historical masters of animation and to include many of their techniques into modern animation.

12:50 pm Conducting Scientific Research with Undergraduates – a new paradigm for the pandemic

Kerry Cheesman (Capital University)

Undergraduate scientific research plays an important role for students and faculty. Most traditional research cannot be done during the pandemic, so faculty need to expand their horizons and find ways to accommodate this important experience.

1:10 pm Conservation Lessons From the Ice Age: Using Friesenhahn Cave to Learn About the Past and to Inform on the Present and Future

Jennifer Hofmann (Concordia University, Texas)

Stewardship of a natural resource, such as Concordia University Texas' Friesenhahn Cave, can provide a valuable community resource for learning about the past, present, and future of a region while teaching participants about conservation behaviors.

1:30 pm Can our understanding of antibiotics limit the spread of bacterial resistance?

Daniel Marous (Wittenberg University) and Rachel Boyette (Wittenberg University)

The development of antibiotics and the subsequent issue of bacterial resistance will be discussed. Can we use our 90-year history with antibiotics to halt further development of resistance? A germane undergrad research project will also be presented.

Workshop 2

2:00pm The Role of Tradition and Prejudice in Understanding

Mariah Cushing (Fresno Pacific University)

The presentation will explore the philosophical concepts of prejudice and tradition as determined by Hans-Georg Gadamer for reflection in the 21st century setting.

Session 3

3:00 pm Transitioning to e-Learning during COVID-19:A study with implications to online learning

Kathryn Wozniak (Concordia University, Chicago), Samuel Kwon (Concordia University, Chicago), and Ardelle Pate (Concordia University, Chicago)

Just as COVID-19 broke, three Concordia colleagues decided to survey K-12 teachers to get an idea of what went right and what went wrong within the virtual classroom. The study's 34 questions gave a glimpse into the online virtual world of teachers.

3:20 pm The Effect of the Coronavirus Pandemic on Graduate Education at Concordia University, St. Paul.

Jean Rock (Concordia University, St. Paul) and Michael Walcheski (Concordia University, St. Paul)

Graduate students responded to questions regarding the effect of the Coronavirus on various aspects of their life and how it impacted their studies, both positively and negatively, at Concordia St. Paul. Action steps to aid students were suggested.

3:40 pm Anti-Bias Education, Cultural Awareness, and Advancing Equity in Education Systems

Kelly Sadlovsky (Concordia University, St. Paul)

Focus on continuous self-reflection for educators to be aware of personal biases and/or assumptions that impact interactions with others. Anti-Bias education requires awareness and accountability to reach shared goals to advance equity in education.

4:00 pm Compassion Fatigue, Resilience, and Intent to Stay: A Quantitative Study among Nurse Educators

Brenda Ulmen (Concordia University, Wisconsin)

Nurse educators have strong organizational commitment despite suffering from compassion fatigue. Nursing leaders have a responsibility to raise awareness and implement resilience training to support the professional well-being of nurse educators.

4:20 pm English Language Arts Curriculum and Student Learning in Dual Language Gifted and Talented Classrooms

Jenna Nelson (Concordia University, Chicago)

The presenter will discuss the use of culturally and linguistically responsive teaching practices to improve the learning experiences and academic achievement of culturally and linguistically diverse students in gifted and talented education.

2020 ALCF Committee

• Mary Kay Johnston, President, Concordia University Texas

• Camelia Raghinaru, President Elect, Concordia University Irvine

• Ed Hasecke, Past President, Wittenberg University

• Robert Hayes, Secretary, Concordia University Chicago

• Mark Looker, Treasurer, Concordia University Ann Arbor

• Patricia Trautrimas, Midland University

• Paul Hillmer, Concordia University St. Paul