Nine Wartburg College students and alumni will pursue a calling to seminary beginning this fall.

Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minn., has accepted seven Wartburg students and alumni for theological studies, including five on full scholarship, while two others are headed for Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, N.J., and Fuller Theological Seminary in Seattle.

“We have encouraged likely leaders to consider their call,” said Dr. Walter “Chip” Bouzard, professor of religion and chair of the religion and philosophy department, adding that it’s “extraordinary” to have nine graduates enrolling in seminary at one time.

Wartburg students stood out among 65 Luther applicants competing for the 13 Presidential Scholarships, according to Sara Wilhelm Garbers, the seminary’s director of admissions.

“The committee was impressed by the articulation of call to vocational ministry expressed by the Wartburg students, along with their theological vision for service in the world,” she said. “We are honored to welcome such a strong class of incoming Wartburg alumni.”

Four from the Class of 2012 are bound for Luther. Daniel Hanson, Cedar Falls; Eric Thiele, Rothschild, Wis.; and Laura Gehring, Ames, will receive full-ride Presidential Scholarships, while Carrie Smisek, Lonsdale, Minn., has a Trustee Scholarship.

Alumni receiving Presidential Scholarships are Jessica Schenk ’11, Canon City, Colo., who has spent the past year in England with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s Young Adults in Global Mission program, and Jessie LeClear Vachta ’08, Cresco, a Peace Corps volunteer in Burkina Faso in Africa the past two years. Steven Ketchum ’08, Chatfield, Minn., will enter the program after serving as a youth worker.

Kathryn Shevel ’12 of Storm Lake will attend Princeton Theological Seminary, while Maggie Ernst ’12, a midyear graduate from Sibley, is headed to Fuller Theological Seminary.

Meanwhile, Jacob Sorenson ’02, Ferryville, Wis., has been admitted to the Ph.D. program in pastoral care and counseling and practical theology at Luther Seminary.

“We are confident that our students leave Wartburg exceptionally well prepared,” Bouzard said. “Many have studied Greek and Hebrew, and all have studied the Bible, church history, ethics, and theology.

“One sign that our confidence is well founded is that our students are offered full or nearly full scholarships in disproportionately higher numbers,” he added. “As our seniors visited seminaries, they discovered that Wartburg has an excellent reputation for turning out strong seminary candidates. Indeed, President (Richard) Bliese of Luther Seminary has testified that the strongest scholars at Luther consistently are Wartburg graduates.”

Gehring said her parents attended Luther Seminary. When she visited, it felt like home.

Thiele, a religion and Spanish double major, debated between attending Luther and Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque. He made his decision after studying abroad in Spain and developing a passion for speaking Spanish.

“I thought the Twin Cities would be perfect,” Thiele said. “I remember driving down the street and seeing signs for churches completely in Spanish.”

Luther seminary students will spend the first two years taking classes and in clinical pastoral education. They intern at a church the next year. After their senior year, they apply for a calling by region, although placement is judged by need.

Gehring and Thiele said they knew other Wartburg students were applying to attend Luther Seminary. While that didn’t weigh on their decisions, Thiele said, “It’s great that I get to live with three other Wartburg graduates.”