A Gateway to a Global Education

Dear Luther Community,

In late March, I had the opportunity to visit with students and faculty participating in our study-away program in Münster, Germany. It was the capstone, and a highlight, of a week of engaging with Luther alumni, students, and faculty and of strengthening partnerships with international secondary schools in Europe. It was powerful to experience firsthand the setting of one of our long-standing, semester-long study-away programs and to hear from students how their study at an urban university in Germany, as well as living with host families, is advancing their learning and changing them personally. That week in Europe strengthened my conviction that Luther serves as a gateway to a global education. We are a proud Iowa college with a regional presence, a national reputation, and a global impact.

This issue of the Luther magazine features articles that I hope will deepen your appreciation of how global engagement is central to our mission of preparing students to lead with curiosity, compassion, and cross-cultural understanding. In reading them, I hope you learn more about our exemplary study-away programs and our thoughtful welcome of international students, both of which are made possible by the generous contributions of time, talent, and treasure from our alumni network. And I hope you better understand why we recently earned a 2026 Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization. Only five colleges and universities in the United States earned the award this year. We are the first private institution in the state of Iowa to be recognized for our globally focused programs, partnerships, and curriculum.

At a time when the relevance of higher education is increasingly questioned, when society is increasingly looking inward, Luther remains committed to nurturing and sustaining a global education, to engaging and serving the neighbor. This is one of the many ways that we inspire and equip students to serve the common good, that we serve as a catalyst for the creation of a more just and sustainable world.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Bradley M. Chamberlain
President