Every year, faculty, administrators, and thought leaders from Lutheran colleges and universities across the nation gather for the Vocation of Lutheran Higher Education Conference at Augsburg University in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They come together to discuss the distinctive role they play in higher education. This year’s theme, “Ethical Leadership in a Changing World,” explored the vital role of ethical leadership in shaping institutions, communities, and society.
Keynote speaker Dr. Walter Fluker, a renowned scholar and leader in ethics and leadership studies, challenged participants to consider how vocation and values-based leadership intersect in today’s complex world.
Representing TLU at the conference were Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations Chris Mueller, Associate Vice President for Campus Equity Dr. Steve Vrooman, Associate Director for Visit Programs Tony Aguirre, and Special Events and Digital Media Manager for Marketing and Communications Karina Garner.
“The VOLHE conference was a great time of renewal and reflection with other ELCA colleges and universities,” Mueller said. “The conference was also challenging as we considered living out our faith ethically and within the context of current times. As we reflected as a TLU group on the experience, we felt it was enlightening, filled with hope, and filled with caution as to pain points in higher education.”
The three-day conference offered multiple plenary sessions to choose from, and presenters included, in addition to Dr. Fluker, Angelica Hambrick, Rev. Ann Rosendale, and Lamont Wells, who is the executive director of the Network of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Colleges and Universities (NECU).
“I am really grateful I was able to attend the conference, not only to learn more about my own colleagues but to learn about the importance of what being and becoming a better ethical leader means,” said Garner. “There is a quote that has stuck with me, and we can use it in our personal lives but also as leaders in the university setting: ‘What are we running from and what are we running toward?’ If you think about it, this is how we can help and influence our students’ lives: by sharing our own journeys, experiences, and values.
“Being surrounded by so many ethical leaders, leaders of different faiths, individuals who are passionate about helping students change their lives, made me realize TLU is my home and that God has led me to be where I am. It set a fire in me to not just talk about change but to work hard to be part of the change.”