Concordia University Ann Arbor (CUAA) is the Ann Arbor, Michigan, campus of Concordia University Wisconsin, a private Lutheran university located in Mequon, Wisconsin. It is part of Concordia University and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
The 187-acre (76 ha) campus of Concordia University Ann Arbor is located on the banks of the Huron River, approximately ten minutes from downtown Ann Arbor, Michigan. The university is connected to the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) and is part of the Concordia University System. CUAA merged with Concordia University Wisconsin in 2013.
History
In the early 1960s, the LCMS bought the Earhart Manor and surrounding estate in Ann Arbor and started building Concordia Lutheran Junior College. The campus was designed by architect Vincent Kling in a mid-century modern style. Classes began in the fall of 1963 with 236 students and 24 instructors. The school started offering four-year degree programs in 1976 and changed its name to Concordia College. It adopted its current name in 2001.
In 1977, Concordia began hosting the "Boars Head Festival," an annual Christmas celebration with music, songs, and plays that many students, alumni, and community members enjoy.
During the 2000s, the university faced financial, enrollment, and management challenges. These problems led to talks with Concordia University Wisconsin about a possible merger. The merger took effect on July 1, 2013, with Curt Gielow, former executive dean of CUW's School of Pharmacy and former mayor of Mequon, Wisconsin, becoming Vice President of Administration and Chief Campus Officer at CUAA. He was replaced by Ryan Peterson at the end of 2018.
In 2015, the university purchased the former Ann Arbor campus of the Thomas M. Cooley Law School. This facility, located two miles (3.2 km) north of the main campus, now houses CUAA's School of Nursing.
In 2022, the university named Erik Ankerberg its next president. He started his role in January 2023, before the spring semester.
In mid-February 2024, local news reported that Ankerberg informed students, faculty, and staff that the university's financial situation required the Ann Arbor campus's mission to be "re-imagined," likely leading to major program cuts and the sale of equipment and property. John Berg, chairman of the board, released a video stating the campus would operate fully for the 2024–2025 academic year. He also mentioned a sub-committee was formed to develop a plan, which later revealed efforts to separate from the Wisconsin campus. This plan was later found to be unworkable, so leaders decided to cut most academic programs. Starting in June 2025, the institution will offer only 9 programs on campus, all focused on healthcare, and 7 programs online, mostly focused on education. This is a reduction from 53 programs previously offered on campus and 60 programs previously offered online.
Athletics
The athletic teams of Concordia–Ann Arbor (CUAA) were called the Cardinals. The school's mascot was named Corky the Cardinal. The university was part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), competing mainly in the Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) for most sports since the 1992–93 academic year. Its football team played in the Mideast League of the Mid-States Football Association (MSFA). The university was also part of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA), competing mostly as an independent team in the Midwest Region of the Division I level.
CUAA offered 28 college-level sports. Men's sports included baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, football, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, and track & field (indoor and outdoor). Women's sports included basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, stunt, tennis, track & field (indoor and outdoor), and volleyball. Co-ed sports included cheerleading, competitive dance, and eSports.
National Championships:
• 1998 – Softball – NCCAA
• 1999 – Softball – NCCAA
• 2018 – Stephanie Johnston – NAIA Marathon
• 2019 – Cheerleading – NAIA
• 2019 – Baseball – NCCAA
• 2022 – Baseball – NCCAA
• 2023 – Softball – NCCAA
• 2024 – Softball – NCCAA
Notable alumni
- Jonathan Coddington – American football coach
- Magali Frezzotti – American softball coach
- Kenneth Horn – American politician
- Newton Howard – American cognitive scientist
- Toby Jones – American basketball coach
- Elizabeth Birr Moje – American educator and University of Michigan administrator