NUrturing Faith

Sharing Stories from LCMNU

May 2025

finding faith and community: annelise Klenz

In the Northwestern University engineering building, you’ll find Annelise Klenz—a sophomore mechanical engineering major with a psychology minor from Cleveland, Ohio. Long before becoming a Wildcat, Annelise became acquainted with Evanston during repeat visits to family friends in the area, planting the seeds of becoming a Northwestern student one day. Active in choir, theater, marching band, and student government in high school, Annelise never expected that a casual conversation on campus would redirect her entire college experience.

When winter quarter of freshman year arrived, Annelise longed for something more than just her busy life as an engineering student. Though she'd grown up in the Lutheran church, that part of her identity had faded into the background after confirmation and the disruption of COVID. “I was definitely feeling really homesick at that point,” she remembers that winter quarter, unconsciously missing the spiritual grounding and community that had once been such a constant in her life.

Lutheran Campus Ministry entered Annelise’s life through a conversation with a friend who invited her to a Wednesday night service. From her first visit, she experienced the warm welcome that would become meaningful: “Pastor Deanna talked to me that first day, and I was so nervous.” The ministry offered her multiple entry points—weekly worship services, Wednesday night gatherings, and the “21theo” discussions where students explore faith in contemporary contexts. What made the difference wasn’t just the programs but the people who created space for authentic conversation: “Everybody was just so open and welcoming when I first came,” Annelise recalls.

Today, Annelise serves as the ministry’s student president, showing her transformation from a hesitant visitor to a campus leader. “I’ve grown a lot in my faith, which I'm really thankful for,” she shares. “I never came in thinking that was something I wanted, whereas now it’s something I try to think about daily.” The ministry has also helped her develop intellectually and socially: “I’m a lot less shy now” and “able to think on a deeper level.” Faith is no longer a disconnected Sunday activity for Annelise but an integrated part of her identity that shapes how she views her education, relationships, and future as an engineer.

Your support allows students like Annelise to find a spiritual home at Northwestern. Through your generosity, Lutheran Campus Ministry provides a welcoming community where students can grow in faith, service, and leadership during these formative college years. Thank you for helping nurture thoughtful, compassionate leaders who will carry these values beyond Northwestern.