Summer has been a rich and exciting time on campus. Our Doctor of Ministry cohorts were in classes, our Master of Divinity distributed learning students were on campus and in late July we hosted more than 300 pastors and teachers from across the country at our Rethinking Confirmation conference. This is illustrative of the many ways our faculty and staff are tending the mission to educate leaders. Thank you for your ongoing prayers as we continue to reimagine how we might further strengthen our mission and ministry.
You may be aware that over the past two years, we have explored long-term plans that will help us improve the student experience at the seminary, including maximizing the value of all our real estate assets.
We implemented a property task force, which includes representatives from the faculty, student, staff and board. They are examining how we currently use our property, how we might create a stronger student learning experience on campus and how we might make better use of our land and buildings in the future.
The task force is in the final stages of selecting an architect to help us explore how to more effectively use our buildings and land. The architect will also assist us in finding innovative ways to upgrade our core campus facilities, including renovations to Bockman Hall and possibly Stub Hall. We also recently expanded affordable, flexible housing options on campus, including dormitory-style housing and rental houses. More than 50 students are taking advantage of these new living arrangements.
We also believe we have found a number of ways to partner creatively in order to strengthen our public witness of educating leaders and attending to multiple kinds of sustainability for the seminary community.
One partnership that has come to fruition is with Augsburg College and its Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies graduate program. We recently leased some under-used building space to Augsburg. This arrangement will bring an additional 70 or so graduate students, faculty and staff to campus starting this month. Under this partnership, Augsburg College will lease offices and classroom space. I am especially appreciative to our staff and faculty, who worked collaboratively and creatively to host these new colleagues. I am eager to see how this new partnership can strengthen the vibrancy on our campus. The additional revenue will also allow us to better serve our seminary students. We look forward to welcoming these new Master of Science folks to campus.
We are also currently in discussions with Ecumen, a well-respected nonprofit Lutheran property developer in the Twin Cities. They are exploring the possibility of developing several acres of land on the edges of campus, primarily for elder housing. If this possibility materializes, Luther Seminary will receive significant funding that will allow us to invest additional money in the core parts of our campus. It will also allow us to realize some unique contextual learning opportunities for our students. Ecumen is currently studying these plans and a decision on this project may come as soon as October.
We will keep you posted in the coming months. We ask for your prayers as we explore the possibilities and work to fulfill our mission of educating Christian leaders effectively into the future.