What drew you to Concordia?
Back home in Michigan, I’m really close to my family. We’re all a big family of Lutherans and educators. My family has always been connected with Concordia so coming here was like coming home. I didn’t have to start all over again, it was my home away from home. Getting to know people, like the admission counselors, my friends, and eventually the faculty, they became my family here. It feels to good to make it my own, my own connections, my own friends. It’s big enough so you don’t know everybody, but you know enough to say hi to people. I went away over the summer but I couldn’t wait to get back!

What was your first day like?
Moving day? Ha! I pulled up right next to my roommate, who I’d known since I was born basically. We were together everyday until we were two. Our dads are principals together, he’s like the brother I never had. I met my girlfriend that first day. It’s a great day of getting to know people, feeling welcome and being able to express yourself and talk with everyone. My door is never closed, it’s always open. My room always has someone in it. From 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. at night.

On extra-curriculars
I’m one of Concordia’s student ambassadors as a part of VISTA. We take kids who are interested in coming to school here around campus. We’re a communication link between the admission counselors and the students to get them used to being here. I house people for overnight stays, I give tours and I have lunch with parents and faculty. I’m the person who talks to everybody. It’s something that God has given me, the ability to talk with everyone.

I’m also involved with our basketball team. I’m the student manager. I help with coaching, stats, recruiting, individual workouts, scouting – it’s tons of fun, again, mixing with the kids. We have a new coach taking over this year and he’s really taken me under his wing, coach Cassidy. I know him, now, as a friend. I want to coach eventually. I want to teach, it’s my major, but my passion and love is basketball. If I can relate to kids through basketball, then that’s a dream.

Joel’s Do’s and Don’ts
Do attend classes! Don’t stay up too late every night. You have to keep your priorities straight. Get out and connect with people and don’t be afraid to express yourself.

Joel’s favorite food in the dining hall
Grilled cheese, and it makes me hungry just thinking about it. When they have it, I’ll have it. I can always fall back on grilled cheese!

On his favorite professor
Professor Gerner, our human relations professor in the education program. The class was a couple of hours, once a week. There was a Welcome Dance one night but class wouldn’t be out until after 9:00 p.m. Well, I called him on a spelling error he made and he let us go early. The next week, I turned the clock ahead twenty minutes. He’s just fun to joke with. He’s good at what he does, getting the criteria across. You could feel comfortable and open, he’s not too strict but he was fun and got down to business while making it fun to be there.

Almost everyone here though, has made an impact on me like that. You have an opportunity to connect and meet with all of your professors. We’re not in a room with 300 students and a TA. It’s like, 20 students and one professor. Specifically, since I’m away with basketball so much, my art teacher, Professor Bell, would allow me to come in late at night after practice to work on projects. She’d always be there to help me.

On dorm life
Music is so essential. My roommate and I blast Mariah Carey. I’m not kidding. We blast it and play it through the halls. People walk by and laugh. It’s an open doorway to connect with people easily and it just helps you relax, get hyper, focus, whatever you want. We host Packer parties too, or parties for any sport really. We used to have a projector in our room, 65 inches. There’s enough room for it and we enjoy having people over. And I even found someone to shave my head on campus – any way to save money!

Joel’s favorite off-campus restaurant?
Highland House, just down the road. It’s like Concordia’s restaurant. I always get the chicken and steak fajitas.

On the role his faith plays
I went to a public high school but coming here, the first day we had class, my communications class, the professor prayed. In math class we prayed and talked about God. We can relate God to anything in our studies and we feel comfortable with it. Not everyone on campus is a Lutheran but everyone’s ok with praying. With the basketball team, we’re going to start devotions with the guys on Sundays. It’s a nice way to connect and create a family. There’s something to do in every dorm with regard to that.

On his Admission Counselor
It was nice to know that I could call him directly and he’d call me back right away, anytime I had a question. I could call any of them actually. And I’ve maintained the relationship too. In fact, I just went shopping with him, and I’ve babysat for them, we play hoops together. They’ll help you through anything.

On the lake view
Some professors will take us out to the amphitheater to lecture. Once the bluff is done we’ll grill out there, it’ll be a great hangout place. That view and scenery is something that most campuses don’t have. On our second night on campus we walked out, the moon was over the lake and you could see the reflection, it was gorgeous. It’s one of God’s wonders that it can happen, people who live just an hour away, it’s not that far, but you can’t get that there.