History of Lutheran College Fairs

What are Lutheran College Fairs?

The Lutheran College Fairs were originally designed to connect Lutheran colleges and universities with parishioners in our Lutheran congregations nationwide. Students and their parents have an opportunityto meet with college representatives face to face to discuss the advantages of a Lutheran education. In this non-threatening, informal setting, high school students and their parents can begin to establish relationships with Lutheran college and university admissions representatives throughout the country. Admissions, financial aid, college life, and academic areas of study are just a few of the issues discussed which are pertinent to the college experience. Fairs are held in locations conveniently accessible by interstate, encouraging attendance from a wide geographic area.

When did the Lutheran College Fairs begin?

The Lutheran College Fairs began in 1968 when Howard Holcomb of the Lutheran Council of the United States and Ed Ellenson of Concordia Moorhead’s admissions office arranged two Lutheran College Fairs in Minneapolis, MN and Washington, D.C.

The main purpose for initiating these college fairs was to enable ourLutheran colleges and universities to meet with parents and students inan effort to provide a better understanding of a Lutheran College or University experience. What began as two college fairs has now grown to approximately 30 Lutheran college fairs held in 20 states.

Who coordinates the Lutheran College Fairs?

The Lutheran Educational Conference of North America (LECNA), an association of forty-two Lutheran colleges and universities in the United States and Canada and one international affiliate member in Brazil, coordinates the Lutheran College Fairs. LECNA is the oldest existing inter-Lutheran organization and traces its history to 1910 through its predecessor, National Lutheran Educational Conference. A LECNA Lutheran College Fair planning committee, made up of several chiefadmissions officers and representatives from the ELCA and LCMS, meets annually to oversee the implementation of the Lutheran College Fair program.

Lutheran College Participation History

We are working hard to enhance our programs and increase the attendance of students and parents. We can’t do it without your support and participation!