MEET KATIE (BARTSCH) NEUMAN '04

Development Services Coordinator; has also served as Center for Arts and Performance House Manager and Concert Hall Tech
Serving WLC since 2004

What do you enjoy most about your role at WLC?

I’m thrilled to collaborate with the development team, fostering impactful relationships with WLC donors to enhance WLC's mission and create excellent opportunities for our students!

Who has had the greatest influence on you during your time at WLC?

Professor Jim Matson taught me to see life through the lens of an artist, encouraging me to notice what others often overlook and to express myself without fear. He recognized the potential in me that I didn't even know I had and guided me as it cultivated a passion for entertainment technology and design, particularly in set painting.

How can alumni and the college’s supporters impact what you do for WLC?

Fine arts have always been a passion of mine, including art, theatre, and music. These disciplines enable individuals to express their experiences, highlight cultural differences, and enrich our daily lives. Supporting fine arts through scholarships for students is crucial for encouraging the exploration of diverse perspectives and experiences.

What is one thing you’d tell a freshman they need to experience during their time as a student at WLC?

Attend a theatre performance, concert hall event, or art gallery opening. Bring along a friend or two and enjoy immersing yourselves in the experience. Not only is this a great break from studying, but it also provides an excellent opportunity to explore and discuss the arts - all without leaving campus.

Name one area where WLC has seen the most growth since you were a student.

The opportunities for growth and encouragement as a Christian leader at WLC are genuinely remarkable. Through the Christian Leadership Program, the Christian Women’s Leadership Circle, and the Hope Scholars, young adults are empowered to become scholars and inspiring Christian leaders in their fields of passion.

What hasn’t changed at WLC since you were a student?

The connections formed at WLC as a student will last long after graduation. Whether it's a lifelong friendship with fellow students or the relationships with faculty and staff, these connections reflect their genuine investment in and delight in who you become in the years after graduating.

Share one fun fact about yourself that others may not know.

During my college years, WLC indeed became my home. My father worked as a WELS missionary in Bulgaria while I was in high school and college, which meant I saw my parents only once or twice yearly. I considered it a great blessing that my peers, faculty, and staff became like a second family and support system for me. I am forever grateful to them for making my college experience much more enjoyable. In July 2024, I had the chance to travel to Greece, Turkey, and Bulgaria with my daughter on her first visit, while also bringing my parents along for the adventure, as they had not been back in 20 years!

Tell us your favorite WLC story.

I was the assistant stage manager for You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. During tech week, where we integrated acting, lighting, sound, and set movements, I jokingly suggested to the director that someone should dress as Woodstock for some scenes. Just before our first public performance, the director handed me a box. Inside was a large Woodstock head and costume. She smiled and said I’d be doing all the prop and set changes while wearing the costume. After that experience, I became selective with my suggestions to Professor Jan Nelson. For years afterward, a particular alum would leave birdseed as a gift for me when he visited the campus.