Michigan Lutheran Seminary (MLS) is a coeducational, private preparatory school for boarding and day students in grades 9 through 12.
Located in Saginaw, Michigan, the school encourages students to become pastors and teachers in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, continuing their education at Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minnesota.
Conrad Frey, MLS completed a combined classroom building and gymnasium in 1951, a dining hall in 1954, and a library and student union in 1964.
Financial crises in the United States and within the church contributed to a decline in enrollment and reduced faculty in the early 2000s.
[19] The proposal was rejected by the 2007 synod convention, reasoning "...it is not prudent to downsize proven programs in vital areas of our work, like the production of pastors..."[20] In 2010, MLS renovated its 440-seat chapel and auditorium as part of its 100th-anniversary celebrations.
In 2016, a bronze statue of Martin Luther was installed at the school's entrance in anticipation of the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation.
[23] As of 2017, Michigan Lutheran Seminary had an enrollment of 199 students and 25.8 classroom teachers (FTE), for a student-teacher ratio of 7.7.
[24] MLS aims to encourage and prepare all students for service as pastors and teachers in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
The academic program at MLS prepares students to enroll at Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minnesota.
The school's campus includes a gymnasium, a chapel/auditorium, classrooms, a dining hall, athletic fields, and student housing.
The school's 12 interscholastic programs include football, cross country, basketball, hockey (co-op), wrestling, baseball, and track and field for boys; volleyball, cross country, basketball, softball, and track and field for girls.
The Shadows is a group of student singers that tours Lutheran grade schools and promotes the purpose of MLS.
[29] Activities include student government, a student-run newspaper Red 'n' White, and work on the MLS yearbook The Cardinal.
Students travel to locations in the United States and abroad to participate in cross-cultural outreach, serve congregations, and learn more about the careers of pastors and teachers.
Seniors participate in the Taste of Ministry program, allowing them to shadow pastors and teachers of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.