Michigan Lutheran Seminary


Michigan Lutheran Seminary is a private preparatory boarding high school affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod located in Saginaw, Michigan. The student body consists of commuting students living in the area as well as a large population of students from around the United States and other countries that live on campus in the dormitory led by the dean.
Michigan Lutheran Seminary's enrollment is 201 students in the 9th through 12th grades, from 17 states, 9 of the 12 districts of the WELS, and 3 countries.
Michigan Lutheran Seminary, along with its sister prep school Luther Preparatory School in Watertown, Wisconsin, has as its purpose "the training of students for public ministry of the gospel and to enroll them upon graduation at Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minnesota."
True to this goal, the high school recommends all graduating students send their ACT scores to MLC, regardless of the individual student's intent on actually attending MLC. In addition to this, intent to enter MLC is one criterion for financial assistance.

History

Michigan Lutheran Seminary was founded on August 16, 1885, when one teacher and six students assembled in Manchester, Michigan. German Lutherans in Michigan felt a need to train pastors to serve a growing number of immigrant congregations. In 1887, the Reverend Christoph Eberhardt of Saint Paul congregation in Saginaw donated two nearby acres of land on Court Street. This led the Michigan Lutheran Synod to move MLS to its present location and to dedicate Old Main, the school's first building, later that year.
When the Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota Synods federated in 1892, the new confederation decided to convert MLS into a preparatory school. Disagreement over this change split the Michigan Synod. MLS continued as a pastor-training seminary until dwindling enrollments forced it to close its doors in 1907.
By 1910, the Michigan Synod had re-established its ties with Wisconsin and Minnesota. The confederation called the Reverend Otto J. R. Hoenecke to open MLS as a preparatory school. Five students enrolled on September 13, 1910. In 1913, the school added a dormitory to house fifty students. By the end of the 1920s, four teachers served an enrollment of seventy-five. The MLS Club, a forerunner of today's Booster Club and MLS Guild, appeared. The campus added two professors’ homes in 1920 and 1924 and a dining hall in 1925.
Growth slowed during the 1930s but picked up after World War II. Pastor Conrad Frey succeeded Director Hoenecke in 1950. To accommodate the growing student body, MLS built a combination classroom building/gymnasium next to Old Main. The dining area was expanded twice, in 1948 and 1954. In 1963, Old Main was finally torn down and a science/music wing with a student union was added.
In 1966, the Reverend Martin Toepel succeeded President C. Frey. Ten years later, a dormitory structure made it possible for all students to live on campus. Previously, some girls lived in off-campus dormitories and some upperclass boys and girls lived in nearby private homes.
In 1978, the Reverend John Lawrenz succeeded President Toepel. Two years later, MLS added an expanded cafeteria on the lower level of the dormitory. In 1985, the three existing campus buildings were melded into a single unit. New construction provided a gymnasium large enough for girls' and boys' athletics, a student commons off the main entrance, additional office space, a computer classroom, expanded parking, and a new maintenance building. On a new section of property a mile and a quarter from its main campus, MLS developed a baseball diamond, a 400-meter oval track, and athletic practice space.
In 1994, the Reverend Paul Prange succeeded President Lawrenz. During President Prange's tenure at MLS, the campus population reached its largest enrollment in the school's history, just over 380 students.
In recent years, MLS has continued to upgrade its facilities by reconfiguring all dormitory study space, refurbishing most of its dormitory rooms, equipping its library, classrooms, and offices with infrastructure to allow ready access to developing technologies, and installing into its chapel a 22-rank pipe organ. A new two-story science wing, new music rooms, and a renovated commons and dining hall were dedicated to the glory of God in 2003.
In 2009, President Prange became the administrator for the synod's Board for Ministerial Education ; he was succeeded for a brief period by the Reverend Aaron Frey. The Reverend Joel Petermann was installed in 2012, following Dr. William Zeiger. The Reverend Mark Luetzow succeeded Petermann in 2018.
In connection with the 100th Anniversary of MLS being a preparatory high school for the WELS in 2010, the chapel was remodeled and refurbished with new wooden floors and reupholstering of the chapel seating.

Financial problems

Financial deficits in 2007 within the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod prompted the WELS Synodical Council to consider closing Michigan Lutheran Seminary as a preparatory school. At the WELS Synod Convention in the summer of 2007, it was resolved "that the 2007 synod convention reject the recommendation to close Michigan Lutheran Seminary at the end of the 2007-08 school year" The resolution stated its reason being that, "it is not prudent to downsize proven programs in vital areas of our work, like the production of pastors..."

Curriculum

Michigan Lutheran Seminary identifies its curriculum as the following: MLS has a single course of study which equips each student to meet the enrollment requirements of Martin Luther College. The curriculum puts emphasis on the study of Biblical history and theology, and gives special attention to foreign languages and music. All students are expected to have at least a 2.50 GPA, if cumulative grade averages do not meet that criterion, counseling and discipline will follow. It exceeds standards set by the State of Michigan for admission to college.
Michigan Lutheran Seminary has been accredited by the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod School Accreditation, which is a member of the National Council for Private School Accreditation.

Faculty and administration

Michigan Lutheran Seminary's Faculty consists of 17 full-time professors, 4 part-time instructors, and 6 tutors.

Co-curricular activities

Michigan Lutheran Seminary offers an array of different co-curricular activities.

Athletics

MLS students are required to maintain a 2.00 GPA to compete in athletic competitions. Students maintaining at least a 1.68-1.99 GPA are permitted to attend practices, but are prohibited from competing in competitions. Students maintaining a GPA lower than 1.68, are restricted from participating in any MLS athletic activities. MLS is a member of the Michigan Tri-Valley Conference, and participates in the following sports: Football, Cross Country, Volleyball, Girls'/Boys' Basketball, Wrestling, Baseball, Softball, & Girls'/Boys' Track.

Performing groups

Michigan Lutheran Seminary supports numerous performing groups as part of its extracurricular program.
Among MLS's extracurriculars are various service groups intended to support school activities and student life.
The MLS school seal depicts a cardinal, the school's mascot. Below the cardinal there are three letters: I.N.I. and September 13, 1910—the date the school became part of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. I.N.I. stands for "In Nomine Iesu" in Latin. Below that on the lefthand side is Luther's Seal; on the righthand side is a picture from the State Flag of Michigan.

List of presidents

PresidentsYears Served
Revs. A. Lange, Huber, O. Hoyer, Linsemann, and Beer1885–1907
Rev. Otto J.R. Hoenecke1910–1950
Rev. Conrad I. Frey1950–1966
Rev. Martin Toepel1966–1978
Rev. Dr. John C. Lawrenz1978–1993
Dr. William E. Zeiger 1993–1994
Rev. Paul T. Prange1994–2009
Dr. William E. Zeiger 2009–2010
Rev. Aaron C. Frey2010
Dr. William E. Zeiger 2010–2012
Rev. Joel V. Petermann2012–2018
Rev. Mark T. Luetzow2018–present