NEW ULM — Martin Luther College (MLC) adjusted to the COVID-19 pandemic by alternating between in-person and distance learning, and adopting a detailed plan that prioritizes the safety of campus and community, and being a good neighbor.

Following abbreviated in-person spring and fall semesters in 2020, students, faculty and staff are committed to carrying out the mission of MLC safely and together on campus from January 25 through May 16 (Commencement and Call Day), according to information provided by Public Relations Director William Pekrul.

Before the students returned to campus, the college asked them to quarantine at home for 10 days and obtain the results of a COVID test.

As they settled into campus life, students were asked to follow general safety protocols, including:

1. Remain on campus during the first 10 days.

2. No non-essential travel all semester.

3. Give evidence to their morning professor of using an app called Campus Clear.

4. Maintain social distance and limit time in the cafeteria. Students are assigned specific time slots for cafeteria visits. One interesting new element is ecologically-sensitive grab-and-go containers for food.

5. Observe masking and social distance protocols.

6. Be prepared if asked to isolate or quarantine.

7. Honor sport-specific protocols.

The detailed plan is published on the MLC website.

MLC President Rev. Richard Gurgel said in a video address that the college is prioritizing not just students’ academic and spiritual wellbeing, and health, but also, and perhaps especially, their emotional wellbeing. It has invested heavily in things like counseling services for those who need them, and in the campus events team, which, with the Student Senate, is planning fun activities to keep spirits up on campus.

New leaders

Gurgel arrived on campus last summer, to replace Rev. Mark Zarling, who retired last June after serving as president for 13 years.

Gurgel brings decades of experience in both ministerial education and parish ministry, as well as 18 years of experience as an MLC parent. Rich and his wife, Sue, have five boys, all graduates of the college he is now leading.

From 1999 to 2020, Gurgel served as a professor at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (WLS) in Mequon, Wisconsin, where future pastors complete their ministerial training. There he taught Christian education, homiletics (preaching), and Christian doctrine.

In 2010, he was appointed WLS’s first director of the Grow in Grace Institute, the continuing education arm of the seminary. There he partnered with people on and off campus to begin retreats for pastors and wives, establish a mentoring program for new pastors, and make formal continuing education courses more accessible to pastors.

Prior to his tenure as a seminary professor, Gurgel served as the pastor of two WELS parishes: Gethsemane in Oklahoma City (1986-1992) and David’s Star in Jackson, Wisconsin (1992-1998).

Another recent arrival to campus is Rev. Aaron Robinson. He will serve as cultural diversity coordinator and professor of English. Robinson has served as a mission starter, high school teacher, coach, campus pastor and parish pastor.

Athletic center

funding complete

The administration and governing board also reported that thanks to the gift of two donors, a planned new athletic center on campus is fully funded.

After extensive interviews, analysis, and research, MLC’s comprehensive campus site plan identified two priorities: residence space, and indoor athletic space for sports teams, physical education training and student life.

The athletic center, named the Betty Kohn Fieldhouse, will be located at the MLC Athletic Field Complex west of the main campus, near the soccer and baseball fields. This 36,000-square-foot indoor-turf facility will feature large practice areas, baseball/softball batting cages, golf simulators and locker rooms. In April, the campus family will celebrate the groundbreaking of the fieldhouse, with student use anticipated by the beginning of 2022.

“MLC is thankful for the gifts received from many individuals, congregations, and schools throughout the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod,” the administration said in a press release.

“We are also thankful for the support we have received from the New Ulm community. Those gifts provided a generous financial foundation for facilities, and now, God has moved the heart of two very generous donors to provide a transformational gift to the athletic center that will allow construction to commence.”

Recruitment for ministerial training is also becoming more effective through increased, focused contacts by the admissions team and through creative partnerships with WELS schools, reported administrators.

Financial assistance continues to be a major effort in the MLC strategic plan. Through contributions, an additional $1 million has been awarded to over 600 students this year, and additional donations will help sustain and increase those awards for years to come.