Friday memo 2/19/16

Outstanding Staff Employee of the Year
Our very own Kathleen Wendt received the Outstanding Staff Employee of the Year award sponsored by an endowed gift donated from Mr. & Mrs. Ken Revenaugh. We are so proud of Kathleen and grateful for her service to our students, our division, and our university!

Plaque that Kathleen received

The ladies in the office celebrated with Kathleen.

Spartan Preview Day
Cynthia Sutton, Director of Admissions, sent an email following Spartan Preview Day that included the following:
"We had a tremendous Spartan Preview Day yesterday with 120 prospective students and over 250 total people. Many were applicants solidifying their choice of MBU and many were Juniors just starting to figure out where they will attend in 2017. " It is truly a pleasure to speak with prospective students and their families. I am grateful that I work at such a special University because it is very easy to sell something you believe in!

Ricki Roth chats with a prospective student about our programs. 

Ellen John talks with a prospective student about our professional student organizations.

Program Review & Directors Meeting
Program Directors met this week to discuss their program review. I am grateful to the directors for their patience as we are utilizing a new program review document and system through Campus Labs. They are busy at work submitting the needed program review documents. David Collum, Tim Delicath, and I met with Dr. Triplett and Dr. Dykstra to review the program review documents. Tim was under the weather but kindly came into the office. As a joke, we gave him a mask. He is such a trooper that he wore the mask during the entire meeting and protected us from his germs!

David Collum and Tim Delicath (saving us from his germs!)

In the Classroom

Dr. Alicia Noddings shared some pictures from her EDUC 303 Methods of Teaching class. Read below some of Alicia's comments about the assignment:

"These were for my EDUC303 Methods of Teaching class – students are doing group lessons on a particular teaching method, and this one was 5 people presenting about cooperative learning. (Remember that this is the first time preparing a lesson for most of them.) The class had to pretend to be 5th grade science students, and their job was described as “helping Harvey” (the little fuzzy ball with eyes) to be perched as high as possible on their desks so he could see the classroom. Both teachers and participants did a great job and really worked well as teams to complete the project creatively."

Chapel

What a pleasure experiencing worship similarly to how other cultures around the world worship God. We were also blessed by the message and challenged to leave our all at the altar, including ourselves.

Upcoming Events

• Monday, 2/22     Faculty Meeting     3:00pm     Recital Hall
• Tuesday, 2/23     Division Faculty (PLC) Meeting     10:15am     FLD Conference Room

Closing Thoughts
I have been reflecting on the message presented at chapel - leaving all of me on the altar. That is a very difficult concept to grasp. As the pastor mentioned, we tend to say we are willing to give ourselves completely to God, but then at the last minute we crawl off the altar. I am encouraged by the words from the hymn "Is Your All on the Altar?"

You have longed for sweet peace,
And for faith to increase,
And have earnestly, fervently prayed;
But you cannot have rest,
Or be perfectly blessed,
Until all on the altar is laid.

Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid?
Your heart does the Spirit control?
You can only be blessed
And have peace and sweet rest,
As you yield Him your body and soul.

Would you walk with the Lord,
In the light of His Word,
And have peace and contentment alway?
You must do His sweet will,
To be free from all ill,
On the altar your all you must lay.