Martin Luther College president Richard Gurgel stands next to the statue of Martin Luther at the center of college campus.

NEW ULM – For six years, Richard Gurgel has served as president of Martin Luther College (MLC) and going into the 2025-2026 school year, he is more excited than ever to serve as the shepherd for the students and faculty.

“The real excitement for this fall is that there will be around 200 new students on campus from a combination of freshman and transfer students,” Gurgel said. This is the highest number of incoming students MLC has seen in seven years. That means the college will go from having 580 undergraduates last year to over 600 undergraduates this year.

Gurgel credits the increase of students to a combination of recruitment efforts, as well as students seeing the need. MLC’s main mission is to train students to meet the public ministry needs of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS). There is a high need for ministers and teachers.

“It has caught young people’s attention that there is a need in our school and churches,” he said. There is also the security of knowing that once a student graduates from MLC, they will have a position for which they have trained available to them.

“We place nearly 100% of students every year,” Gurgel said. The only exception is when a student needs to be placed in a specific area and there are no current openings.

In recent years, MLC has increased recruitment efforts by bringing high school students to campus and showing them what is available. The MLC campus, located in the heart of New Ulm, is a strong selling point.

Gurgel said the first thing he tells students about New Ulm is its roots in German heritage. He said it is hard to miss since the campus is across the street from the Hermann the German Monument.

The second thing new students find out about New Ulm is the safety it offers.

“Next to the cost of education, the next most important thing for families is safety,” Gurgle said. “We are one of the safest campuses in the country. We thank our host community for that.”

He also praised New Ulm’s amenities, including the parks. MLC campus borders Flandrau State Park grounds.

The Park and Recreation Center directly below campus is another asset. All students have membership there automatically.

“That’s a wonderful partnership between MLC and the community,” he said.

The benefit to New Ulm is at the start of every school year, the city sees an influx of new young people, many of whom are willing to work in the community.

“That’s a win-win situation,” Gurgel said. “It helps students afford education, but also gives the community of influx of employees.”

The campus will host a special community job fair Thursday, Aug. 28, to connect the new students with local businesses.

Before Gurgel took over as president of MLC, he served as a seminary professor in Mequon, Wisconsin for 22 years. Before becoming a professor, he served as a Lutheran pastor.

Gurgel comes from a family of Lutheran Pastors. His father was a pastor, his maternal grandfather was a Lutheran pastor and two of his older brothers became pastors. The family tradition has continued on to another generation. His five sons are all graduates of MLC. Two became pastors and three became Lutheran high school teachers.

“In a sense, I breathed that from the time I was a child,” he said. “It was in front of me every day of my life. It was not hard to follow the path.”

Though Gurgel’s role is now college president and administrator, he still taps into his time as a pastor.

“My basic duty is to keep encouraging staff in remembering the mission,” he said. “There are so many things that can discourage and distract. My number one task is to keep them focused. In a sense, I am here to shepherd the campus.”

Gurgel said that as the shepherd for the campus, he strives to learn the names of every student on campus. He does this by having a one-on-one meeting with every first-year student.

“It usually takes all semester, but it helps him learn their name and helps them understand they are not nameless, faceless part of the college,” he said. “They are children of God.”

Gurgel said this is an important part lesson to teach. He said one of the greatest challenges facing students is the rise in mental health needs.

“There are so many challenges in a digital age,” he said. “Just to be aware of the anxiety, fears, and depression that can attack this generation.”

Despite these challenges, Gurgel continues to be optimistic about the new generation of students.

“These students really want to make a difference in the world,” he said. “They crave feedback and support. They are willing to engage with classmates and help each other in a way I find refreshing.”

Gurgle said the best part of being the president of MLC is seeing the potential of each student.

“I get to glimpse the future every day,” he said. “It is refreshing to be around those who are getting ready to start their careers and catch a glimpse of what will be.”