‘All Abroad’

The Wisconsin State Fair is being held August 5-15. It is a very popular attraction in Milwaukee during the summer, and conveniently, the State Fair grounds happen to be very close to Wisconsin Lutheran College’s campus.

During a recent visit to State Fair, students enjoyed sampling cuisine such as cream puffs, corn on the cob, and cheese curds. Touring the various barns, students also saw cows, pigs, horses, goats, and sheep. Local families bring their animals to State Fair to showcase them in hopes of winning prizes.

State Fair also has many rides, such as the Ferris wheel in the picture below, for those thrill-seeking patrons.

Many musicians perform, and there is never a shortage of vendor areas to walk through and purchase a wide variety of items ranging from kitchen utensils to hot tubs.

We had a great day at the Wisconsin State Fair!

Students, staff, and guests were welcomed to WLC’s campus for the kick off the Summer ESL Program. Everyone enjoyed great food, the opportunity to meet ESL-I staff, and shared in the experience to make homemade ice cream.

This summer’s ESL program theme is ‘Cream City, USA,’ which is inspired by Milwaukee’s historical yellow brick found in many buildings around the city. ESL Director Jane Hewitt shares her anticipation for the Summer Program, “I am very excited to work with the new students. They will be a great group!”

WLC’s ESL-I Summer experience is a five-week program where students engage in intensive academic English classes, have the opportunity to adjust to American & WLC culture, and participate in local festivials and activities.

Welcome to WLC ESL-I Students!

Commencement ceremonies for WLC took place on Saturday, May 15, 2010. It was a beautiful day filled with celebrations of individual student achievements! Members of our first cohort from our partner school, Jiangxi Normal University in China, received their degrees.

Upon graduation, some students will enter the work force in corporations, businesses, hospitals, & community organizations; while others will further their education by pursuing mastoral or doctoral degrees at prestigioius institutions in the U.S.!

All of our graduates are special and will truly be missed. We are confident that they will leave WLC and make an impact in our global and local societies.

God’s Blessings to the Class of 2010!

A handful of CIE students and a few staff members enjoyed a delicious meal at a local Korean restaurant called “Seoul.” Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef) and Hot Pot were just some of the dishes that were ordered. As students were preparing for final exams, it was important to take a food break to nourish their bodies.

It was enjoyable to spend an evening with good company sampling the best of the diverse cuisine the city of Milwaukee has to offer.

The CIE and the China Studies program co-sponsored an event on the Eve of the Chinese New Year Festival to celebrate the beginning of the Year of the Tiger.  Students, community guests, staff, and friends all joined in for a delicious meal while listening to music and enjoying one another’s company.

It was wonderful to be able to share this event with our Chinese students and friends to welcome another year filled with blessings! 

Happy New Year!

Welcome to WLC Connie!

My name is Connie Pickart, and I joined the Center for International Education at Wisconsin Lutheran College in January 2010. I work as a specialized enrollment counselor, and my focus is on China.

As a native-born Chinese who spent the last two and a half years in the United States, I strongly believe in the benefits of my intercultural experience. It is really not a cliché to say that intercultural experience broadens my mind and helps me view the world in different perspectives. I also focused on intercultural communication in my graduate studies, which further helped me understand the commonalities and differences of cultures. I enjoy applying what I have learned as I work with students from all countries.

In my spare time I enjoy music and theater, and I found Milwaukee a very good place for this hobby. I also like cooking and baking, especially experimenting new dishes from all parts of China. I love to travel and to experience different cultures around the world. Yet so far I have only been to parts of China and the United States. I would love to see Europe, Africa, Latin America, and other parts of Asia in the future!

I feel very fortunate to be here at WLC because I truly believe that liberal arts education is the best way to shape character. I hope you enjoy your experience here and I assure you that you will benefit from these four years of education!

Outlet malls typically offer tremendous deals when it comes to shopping for name brand items. During the Christmas season those sales tend to increase, causing some prices to seem like a steal of a deal! In early December staff and students traveled to an outlet mall just outside of Milwaukee called Johnson Creek Outlet Mall. They sure took advantage of the dropped prices!

After a long day of shopping, the group regained their strength with food and relaxation at staff member Eric Duwe’s family farm. Here all enjoyed checking out the equipment and materials that are found on the farm. A major highlight was climbing the side of a silo filled with animal feed.

In early November, students who are new to WLC gathered together to learn important information about the winter season, especially what to expect living in the state of Wisconsin.

 
CIE Student Intern, Jazelle, shared useful information about how to take care of your skin during the climate change and the importance of remaining hydrated (drink lots of water!). Important winter terms, like wind chill & lake effect snow, were also discussed to ensure everyone was prepared to understand weather forecasts. After trying on some winter weather clothing, such as gloves, hats, scarves, and winter coats, we went shopping!

 
Here are just a few of the fun activities to participate in during the winter:

• Making snow angels
• Sledding
• Skiing & Snowboarding
• Ice skating

This winter is sure to be beautiful and a lot of fun. There’s nothing like snow falling all around you! Everyone should experience it at least once in their lifetime.

Homecoming is a festive time on campus that occurs around the beginning of October every year. During this time students share their school spirit by participating in a wide variety of events throughout the week. Alumni often return during this weekend to visit with old classmates and professors.

Celebrating the 10th year of WLC’s football program, the Warriors competed in the 2009 Homecoming game on Saturday, October 3 on our home field, Raabe Stadium. International student, Heikki Luoma, plays on the defensive line and assisted the team to a victory!

Other activities sponsored throughout the week for students included face painting, tie-dying T-shirts, a corn roast, and a Homecoming pep rally. The fall weather in Milwaukee made it a perfect time to be outside for many of these events. Students, staff, faculty, and alumni all enjoyed connecting with one another in celebration of WLC!

During a recent business trip to Southeast Asia, CIE Assistant Director Cynthia Fitzsimmons had the opportunity to meet with many impressive students to share their future possibilities at WLC! Countries visited included Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Hong Kong.

A true highlight of the trip occurred in Bangkok, Thailand, when during an educational exposition a fantastic family sat down to learn more about WLC. The interested student just happened to have on a T-shirt of a football team in Wisconsin!

The CIE is eager to work with future WLC students in the next year!