The Gala of Stars, Concordia’s annual fundraising event, is happening Sat., April 25. This is the 24th time the event has been held, but this year is special as it marks the start of the 50th anniversary celebrations.

Tim Jaeger, the Vice President for University Advancement, said the gala, “is a wonderful celebration of Concordia’s family, old and new friends. It consists of a number of things –  fellowship time, live music, a silent auction and an opportunity for people to give gifts directly to student aid. It also has a musical performance, this year being performed by our own alums.” 

The money raised from the gala goes directly to support student scholarships. A vast majority of students at Concordia receive some sort of financial aid, and this gala is one of the ways that the university can provide financial support. 

Nancy Palmer, the Assistant Director of Special Events, said, “Fund-A-Need takes place toward the end of the evening, following a student speaker who shares their personal story, including how scholarships and faculty support have impacted their journey. Guests are then invited to give at various levels. This is typically the most impactful part of the night– in 2025, we raised over $1 million to support student scholarships, and we hope to do the same this year.”

Jaeger agreed, “The more students are involved, the more they become aware of what’s happening…The gala is here to raise money for student aid. I’ve been to all 24 of them. I’ve been here 29 years and love it, and the gala has become instrumental in this.”

While the gala is a reminder of Concordia’s commitment to funding education, it also provides an opportunity to network and form connections for both students and alumni. “The gala does a lot more than raise money,” Jaeger said, “It is a reunion. It is the biggest part of the year for our donors and board members, and they love being together because they love our mission here at Concordia. It’s what causes them to give of their time, their talents, and their treasures, so it’s a special night in that way. It’s a time when they can all have some fun, and we can focus on involving our students and alums.”

The gala will honor Rev. Dr. Steven Mueller for his contributions to the Concordia community. Mueller, a Concordia alum himself, is the Vice President and Chief Mission Officer and also teaches theology classes. Mueller’s recognition points to the importance of the alumni network and highlights the theme of the gala– celebrating alumni. Jaeger said, “Our lifetime achievement award is recognizing all of our alumni, so there will be a little more emphasis on our alumni throughout the evening.” 

As this year celebrates the 50th anniversary of Concordia’s founding, the gala’s emphasis on alumni highlights the importance of Concordia’s history, honoring those who donated time, money and resources to making Concordia the school that it is today.

Jaeger said, “The Gala of Stars is a big enough event that it takes the whole campus to get behind it, and the advancement department is forever grateful to the teamwork across the different departments that help make it happen. It’s kind of an all-hands-on-deck event. The more people are involved, the more successful the event. It reignites people’s commitment to this place and their love for it. Obviously, the friendships that have been forged over the years, the people that work here and serve here, and also our donors and friends. They’re like family.” 

Tags: alumnus, Faculty, Awards

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