About

88th Annual Conference - October 6-7, 2023

Retelling our Story: The Value of Teaching Vocational Exploration in the Liberal Arts Context

Hosted by Grand View University

Vocation is a far-reaching topic at Lutheran-affiliated colleges and universities, and the entire higher education community engages in the conversation, though in different ways and through different contexts.

How do we recognize the ways vocational exploration can equip students to better understand themselves and their calling in response to the shifting needs of the world?

The 2023 ALCF conference will open up new perspectives on teaching vocation at professional fields to consider the complexity of the concept of vocational exploration in the context of our teaching.

How do we enable students to discern their calling when we teach in the liberal arts space? How does the world we inhabit shape our vision of vocation? What larger forces have shaped the particular trajectories of vocational exploration that brought us here, and where are we heading in the future?

We hope the conference will serve as a place to share practices or work being done at our institutions that increases the potential for vocational exploration. Faculty, staff, and student contributions are welcome.

The best way to experience the conference is in person. However, for those who are unable to attend in person, we will offer a condensed zoom track.

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Patrick B. Reyes

Author of two award-winning books on vocation: The Purpose Gap: Empowering Communities of Color to Find Meaning and Thrive, and Nobody Cries When We Die: God, Community and Surviving to Adulthood, and host of the Sound of the Genuine podcast.

Learn more at patrickbreyes.com.

Getting around

Centrally located in Des Moines, Iowa, Grand View University is approximately 9 miles from the Des Moines International Airport. Driving to Des Moines is easy; directions and campus maps are linked below:

The conference hotel is the Holiday Inn Des Moines - Downtown Mercy Campus (see link below for discount).

2:30 - 3:00

Registration (Student Center Lobby)

3:00-3:45

4:00-5:00

5:00-6:00

Keynote Address (Speed Lyceum)

The Vocations of Ancestors with Dr. Patrick B. Reyes

6:00-7:00

8:00-8:30

Coffee Bar (Speed Lyceum)

Workshops

8:30-9:30

8:30-9:30am Workshop 1: Building Compassionate Communities (Speed Lyceum)

Paul Leavenworth, Grand View University

In the Building Compassionate Communities Workshop, I will describe “The Five Cs of Compassionate Communities” (Compassion, Culture, Communication, Collaboration, and Community) in order “to help people care for others in compassionate ways.” The result of building compassionate communities is “to help others experience the well-being of being part of a compassionate community so that they can partner with others to build compassionate communities in their families, friendships, organizations, and neighborhoods.”
In this workshop I will define and describe what compassionate communities look like and how they can be developed.

8:30-9:30am Workshop 2: Using Reflective Practice to Explore Vocational Calling (Principal Conference Rooms)

Sara Clemm von Hohenberg, Concordia University Ann Arbor

University students have a desire to explore God’s vocational calling on their life but often lack the skills or the guidance necessary to fully see their vocation from a faith-based viewpoint. Teaching students how to use reflective practice journaling to engage in vocational understanding, through bible verses and critical thinking discussion prompts, equips them with the tools needed for self-growth and personal development.

Oral Sessions

9:30-10:45

Oral Session: Vocation & Pedagogy (Speed Lyceum)

9:30am Teaching History as Vocation: Life Lessons being Lost.

Paul Hillmer, Concordia University St Paul.

As a just-retired professor of history, my favorite class to teach has always been Introduction to History, a general education class normally taken by freshmen. I have always enjoyed seeing students grow to appreciate that history is not an intact, unimpeachable received wisdom but is instead, as Stull Holt once put it, "a damn dark candle held over a damn dark abyss." While history has tremendous value as a collection of knowledge that helps us understand who we are, from whence we came, and where we might be going, it is even more important as a way of thinking that encourages self-critique, healthy skepticism, and the ability to understand and even simultaneously embrace multiple perspectives. I have also stated that studying history is one of the best ways to help us love our neighbors as ourselves. One's sense of vocation, I further assert, must be built on this sense of shared humanity and value. Since, however, the study of history doesn't obviously or immediately lead to a good-paying job, it is being steadily erased from numerous university general education curricula. Majors are dwindling. So before the study of history dwindles into obscurity, I'd like to offer a few observations based on my 30 years of teaching on how the study of history is, in many ways, the teaching of vocation.

9:50am Attentiveness and Pedagogy: Teaching a Consistent Rhythm to Vocations Amid an Uncertain World.

Chad Kendall & Kathryn Wozniak, Concordia University Chicago.

Studies are providing evidence that Gen Z faces an enormous level of anxiety, uncertainty, and hopelessness when it comes to the American Dream, education, and finding fulfillment in life. Colleges and universities are struggling amid the challenges of technology and an ever-fluctuating economy to inspire and adequately prepare students for a life of meaning and fulfillment through their vocations. The Rule of St. Benedict provides opportunities to focus on the virtue of attentiveness as it teaches a stable rhythm of life. Cardinal Newman referred to the Benedictine Order as a poetical order that has a rhythm of prayer and work that teaches a stable existence amid the seasons of life. Coupled with this, Luther's doctrine of vocation teaches a freedom that the Christian has because of the Gospel. These Christian concepts are relevant today and can provide a pedagogical avenue as we teach and prepare students to live lives that embrace hope and an enduring rhythm to life through Jesus Christ. This talk will involve these concepts as it provides a pedagogical perspective that gives hope as we think about how to engage students in a fast-paced and ever-changing world that impacts our vocations. This lecture will offer pedagogical suggestions that meet the challenges of the day, inspiring students to find a free, joyful, and meaningful life with purpose.

10:10am Using the Appreciative Inquiry (AI)Framework to Examine an Authentic Project-Based Research Symposium.

Jill Sudak-Allison & Kristine Owens, Grand View University.

Students often enter undergraduate research-based courses feeling academically underprepared and/or intimidated by the task of understanding and presenting research. The courses that focus on research are foundational for social sciences majors. For many students in these courses, it is their first exposure to learning and applying the process of scientific inquiry, critical thinking and analysis, research and design, literature review and statistical analysis. At Grand View University (GVU), the social sciences and education faculty have collaborated for almost a decade to create a biannual, university research symposium, both in-person and online to prepare students for their vocations. This student-centered approach to learning was designed to be project and skills based and integrated an appreciative inquiry framework.

10:30am Q&A

Oral Session: Vocation & Christianity (Principal Conference Rooms)

9:30am At and Along One’s Vocation: Implications for Christian Liberal Arts Universities.

Lori Doyle and Jill Swisher, Concordia University Irvine.

A qualitative methodology was used to explore the topic of vocation phenomenologically to determine empirical results among workers in various fields. A conceptual framework was applied based on C. S. Lewis’ “at and along” concept from his 1945 essay, “Meditation in a Toolshed,” and the doctrine of the two kingdoms. Findings suggest there is room to grow in thinking right-handedly and implications are discussed regarding action steps for Lutheran universities and the church at large.

9:50am Culturally Responsive Practices for Christian Teachers: Understanding Vocation Within the Context of Education.

Kelly Sadlovsky, Concordia University St Paul.

Research-based culturally responsive practices for Christian educators in connection with understanding “vocation” based on the foundation Martin Luther provided (Loy, 2021) will be presented. Bible verses provide validation on God’s purpose for believers serving in roles of educators and leaders. Examples of Christ modeling grace, kindness, compassion, patience, and accountability while seeking out those marginalized by society demonstrate how Christian educators can reflect a Christ-like approach with shared goals of advancing equity for all students.

10:10am Parish Wellness and Occupational Therapy.

Stephanie Bonk & Stacey Kukor, Concordia University Wisconsin.

Occupational therapy students are required to complete two 12-week fieldwork rotations after the completion of didactic courses in order to graduate. The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the available fieldwork rotation spots. In an effort to limit delays in graduation, we created the Parish Wellness fieldwork rotation with two local LCMS churches that also had schools. We created objectives, a handbook, timeline with assignments, and our roles as the fieldwork educators. The objectives were based off of the traditional setting objectives, but tweaked for this community-based setting. Some of these objectives were explaining and demonstrating the value and role of occupational therapy to pastors, principals, and participants and understanding and verbalizing the use of assessments in community-based settings compared to traditional settings. Students developed an on-going relationship with the churches that included a weekly book club, exercise group, and personalized sessions with students on aspects such as attention, handwriting, and fine and gross motor development. This opportunity allowed students to fulfill their vocation of future occupational therapists while integrating their faith. Students required some guidance initially to realize and understand the benefits of this type of placement but upon reflection at the end, they were able to identify areas of growth in themselves that will allow them to fulfil their vocation as occupational therapists.

10:30am Q&A

11:00-11:30

Chapel Service (Lutheran Memorial Chapel)

Message given by Rev. Dr. Mark Mattes, Grand View University

11:45-12:30

Roundtable discussion (Speed Lyceum)

11:45am-12:30pm Mindfulness on the Path of Vocational Exploration in the First-Year Experience

Heather Brady and Jill Batten, Grand View University.

If the transition to college brings anxiety to first-year students learning to manage new freedoms and responsibilities, then the COVID-19 pandemic made these students feel especially vulnerable to feelings of isolation and loneliness. Higher education administrators, faculty and staff witnessed these changes in students, and, as a result, became more attuned to their emotional lives and motivated to support students. Many campuses recognized the need to focus on mindfulness by developing tools to help students manage stress, emphasize mental wellness, and value gratitude. Certainly, college campuses are relieved to put this era behind us, the toolbox can still be used to help students build resilience and protect against social isolation. In this roundtable, we will discuss campus strategies for developing mindfulness as a path to vocational exploration in the first-year experience. First, we will share our particular campus context as we will discuss Grand View policy, mission and programs initiated by faculty, staff and students around student mindfulness. Next, we will share results from a pilot project related to mindfulness in the first-year experience. Finally, we will ask questions informed by our experience to facilitate a guided conversation about the role of mindfulness practices across diverse campuses as a path to vocational exploration for students today.

12:30-2:00

Lunch and Business Meeting (Valhalla)

Oral Sessions

2:00-3:15

Oral Session: Vocation Throughout the Curriculum I (Speed Lyceum)

2:00pm Professional Sports Experience.

Ryan Hubbard & Brenda Davies, Concordia University St Paul.

Within the past five years, Concordia University, St. Paul (CSP) faculty began exploring a collaborative academic option with the Minnesota Twins organization for students to gain professional sport experience. The goal of this option was to offer an accelerated engagement option for students looking for a valuable undergraduate internship opportunity and/or graduate capstone experience. The Covid-19 pandemic halted this endeavor.
In 2022, Ivan Cardona, the Manager of Tours and Event Support for the Minnesota Twins and an alum of CSP’s Master’s in Sport Management program, revitalized the project. Collaboration amongst Ivan, David St. Peter, the Twins CEO, and CSP faculty led to the creation of a new opportunity: the Twins Professional Sport Experience. The first cohort of students was enrolled in May 2023. This presentation will share the details of this partnership.

2:20pm Making Tech Less Toxic.

Sharon Gray, Augustana University (SD).

Filter bubbles, news/friend feeds, monetizing algorithms, artificial intelligence, and human nature combine to create a toxic situation where social media negatively impacts mental health and contributes to political and ideological extremism. Former Google ethicist and current executive director of the Center for Humane Technology, Tristan Harris, maintains that social media companies are shaping the thoughts, feelings, and behavior of people. “They are programming people,” he says. Ramsay Brown, CEO and founder of AI Responsibility Lab, maintains “A computer programmer who now understands how the brain works knows how to write code that will get the brain to do certain things…You don’t pay for Facebook. Advertisers pay for Facebook. You get to use it for free because your eyeballs are what’s being sold there.” Currently, this is no incentive for change. “Asking technology companies [and] content creators to be less good at what they do feels like a ridiculous ask,” states Gabe Zichermann, gamification expert and co-founder of Onward. Sharon Gray, who has taught Ethical Issues in Technology at Augustana University for over twenty years, discusses some of the issues contributing to the toxic effects of social media. She also shares how some are working to combat those toxic effects, especially among youth.

2:40pm An Interdisciplinary Vocation of Scholarship: The Music of Composer Morten Lauridsen.

Jim Bond, California Lutheran University.

In spring 2014, as director of the first-year seminar at California Lutheran University, my vocation as an English professor changed dramatically. In planning for the program for the following fall, I weighed all the possible choices for the common reading. Frustrated with the predictable books I found in first-year catalogs and reading lists, in a flash of insight I chose the music of composer Morten Lauridsen for the common reading. Recognizing that research and scholarship should be put before our students from their very first year at the university, I reconceptualized the academic study of a book, rendering unfamiliar the practices that had become far too mechanical and routine. By shifting the program away from a book to another kind of reading, the program asked students to think critically about all the necessary ingredients for a dynamic research and scholarship process. Drawing from my own subsequent book project and teaching on the music of Morten Lauridsen, my paper will argue that faculty can best engage students in the vocation of research and scholarship when they bring their vital work into the classroom. When faculty model actively the creative process, they can help students discover innovative reading and writing practices for their respective vocational journeys.

3:00pm Q&A

Oral Session: Vocation Throughout the Curriculum II (Principal Conference Rooms)

2:00pm Lutheran Vocation in a First-Year Seminar: Faculty Development & Student Outcomes.

Rachel Pickett and Elizabeth Evans, Concordia University Wisconsin.

Vocational discernment is an important part of growing in identity and living with purpose. A Liberal Arts education seeks to foster this personal development in students. This presentation will review a faculty development program integrating Lutheran Vocation into a Liberal Arts First-Year Seminar (FYS), as well as report on student learning outcomes. The project provided FYS faculty with 20 hours of professional development opportunities and various resources. Some of the topics included exploring Luther’s notion of vocation within the context of lifespan development, service learning in the classroom, personal narrative, and student mentoring. Student learning was the ultimate goal of this project. We assessed 1,617 FYS students using a common reflection paper assignment focused on the following university assessment objectives: (1) Understanding how Christian faith informs vocational discernment; and (2) Applying Christian faith to personal and vocational contexts. A lesson plan and the FYS assignment assessing student learning outcomes will be shared.

2:20pm Enhancing Vocational Alignment in University Programs: Introducing the Vocational Curriculum Analysis Tool (Vo-CAT).

Matthew Buns, Concordia University St Paul.

Join us for an upcoming presentation introducing the Vocational Curriculum Analysis Tool (Vo-CAT), a self-assessment and planning guide designed to empower universities in aligning their curricula with their vocational statements. Vo-CAT facilitates clear, comprehensive, and consistent analyses of major curricula, ensuring they closely match the university's vocational initiatives. By identifying relevant content and assessment components, Vo-CAT paves the way for necessary curriculum changes, leading to improved existing programs and the development of new ones that truly resonate with the institution's vocational mission. Discover how Vo-CAT can drive meaningful change in university programs' pursuit of purposeful education and service.

2:40pm Toward Cultivating a Culture of Connection. (Presented on Zoom)

Nicole Ortegon & Mary Zaharis, Concordia University Chicago.

In a 2023 report, the U.S. Surgeon General characterized loneliness and isolation as an American public health epidemic with deleterious effects at the individual and societal level, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. To heal necessitates a whole-society approach to cultivating a culture of connection, and those called to lead will play a critical role in meeting this mandate. This presentation examines the relationship between a Christian approach to vocation and an emotional intelligence approach to team building, reflecting on how leaders can employ both in creating caring and productive communities of practice.

3:00pm Q&A

2023 ALCF Committee

• Heather Brady, President, Grand View University

• Camelia Raghinaru, Past President, Concordia University Irvine

• Robert Hayes, Secretary, Concordia University Chicago

• Mark Looker, Treasurer, Concordia University Ann Arbor

• Patricia Trautrimas, Midland University

• Paul Hillmer, Concordia University St. Paul

• Mary Kay Johnston, Concordia University Texas