Concordia University Wisconsin

Lutherans in Wisconsin founded Concordia College in 1881. Thirteen students began their instruction in the basement of Trinity Lutheran Church in downtown Milwaukee. In 1882, property located on 31st Street between State and Highland Streets was purchased to start a permanent campus. In 1886, Concordia received a perpetual charter from the State of Wisconsin which authorized it to provide "classical, technical, and religious instruction to young men and students who desire to prepare themselves for the ministry of the Lutheran Church." For approximately eight decades, Concordia offered high school and the first two years of a liberal arts college program. Concordia University Wisconsin is a Lutheran higher education community committed to helping students develop in mind, body, and spirit for service to Christ in the Church and the World. This mission is what drives us every day, and we aim to uphold it in every class, residence hall, and chapel service. Take a moment to explore what makes CUW one of the leading Lutheran Universities in the nation.