By Walter Wendler

Student satisfaction and customer satisfaction are not equal. Students are not customers except when they spend a night in their dorm room or buy a meal in the cafeteria, a book at the bookstore or a shirt with the school logo. The remainder of the time, students are aspirants. They work diligently to become something they are not. They pay universities to help transform them from whatever they are into something they aspire to be, such as a teacher, nurse, engineer, historian or rancher. If they knew how to think and act as these professionals do, they would not need to pay the university anything.  Students do not buy a product, but a transformational opportunity. Universities irreparably harm themselves when they sell opportunity as a product. Opportunity is difficult to measure, and even more difficult to communicate to an aspirant.

Walter V. Wendler

College to Life, a recent study by Strata/Gallup, catalogs why students choose various educational pathways and their satisfaction with those choices. A cacophony of concerns regarding the high cost of university attendance and the value of a college degree fills newspapers and airwaves regularly. A few basic observations from the study are worthwhile.

Six in ten students choose to attend college for the prospect of a better job. University faculty yearn for students who study for the joy of learning, but only two in ten indicated that as the reason for attending. Of course, the joy of study and the potential of employment can be mutually reinforcing—even indistinguishable. Excellent faculty are essential for academic excellence:  Energized faculty integrate the joy of learning and the application of what is learned in the work world.  Strata/Gallup have separated for reporting polling results that which must be integrated.

Demographic classifications change the findings little.  Men and women, first generation students, income level, racial and ethnic groupings hold the same educational goals within a few percentage points. Jobs are the central consideration.

Over 30% of those who failed to complete a degree said their interests were on general learning, rather than vocational choices. Yet students who did not complete their degree said if they could take a “do over,” they would choose another area of study.  Career choices are central, but location and affordability are the number two and three concerns respectively.

In response to these findings, universities that want to improve institutional attractiveness to potential students have two major priorities.

First, attend to the transition from college to work. Internships, practicums and other work and study combinations have great value to the preponderance of students. Remember, nearly 60% of the 87,000 participants in the Strata/Gallup poll said jobs were first priority.

The casual reader may say, “Where is the news in that?” With universities focused on enrollment growth, economic development, campus life experiences and a multitude of other considerations, the essence of securing employment might be overshadowed by interference of competing forces that are at work in the study environment.  Thoughtful universities will focus on how sound technical expertise, powerful critical thinking skills, knowledge of history and the importance of good citizenship in a free society lead to a productive work life. In addition, the ability to accept responsibility and work with others as a team can take center stage and simultaneously help a student gain employment in their chosen field of study.

Second, after the prioritization of the study experience related to employment opportunities, the most important consideration is location. In the first priority, universities have control over how learning experiences lead to success in the workplace; however, universities typically have little choice in their location. In response, many rural institutions create branch campuses in more densely populated urban areas to foster access through proximity. For universities located in very rural areas or areas with declining population, sometimes the stretch will be A Bridge Too Far.

Distance education programs provide opportunity to learners by virtually eliminating geography as a concern. This can also help create sustainability. Another approach is recognizing that rural locations possess defining characteristics. Here the issue becomes how to make a unique setting a “destination” university, appealing to people far and wide. The study experience at a rural institution can be an “international study opportunity” for many urban and suburban students. The way of life, the culture and the decision-making apparatus at work in the lives of people all can be an unintended but powerfully important learning experience—a hidden curriculum—if properly developed and implemented.

The calculus of these two forces implies that thoughtful leadership, faculty and staff guide the transition from study to work and create attractiveness through distinctive location. These investments of energy and intellect lead to satisfied students.

How Do You Find God’s Will?

By Rick Warren —

“God . . . invited you into this wonderful friendship with his Son, even Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:9 TLB).

God isn’t playing games with you. He wants you to understand his will, his purpose, and his plan for your life.

You may say, “I want God to guide me, but I still get confused. I don’t know what to do.” Often the problem is we’re looking for the wrong thing. You need to know what you’re looking for before you can find it.

So, what is God’s will?

God’s will is not a feeling.

Maybe you are looking for a feeling or a supernatural sign. You want God to pull your heartstrings so you’ll know exactly what to do.

The problem is that feelings are unreliable; they will often guide you the wrong way. Feelings can come from fatigue, hormones, or an event you’ve just experienced. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful” (NIV). Even your heart plays tricks on you. Even the Devil can create a feeling. If I had listened to my feelings, I never would have married my wife, Kay. The day before the wedding, my feelings said, “Run!” But that wasn’t God’s will. That was fear!

Don’t wait for a feeling when you’re trying to figure out God’s plan for your life.

God’s will is not a formula.

In our culture, we want everything to be easy. We want things to follow a simple formula that will instantly change our lives. We want a step-by-step guide.

But there’s a problem with this approach: There’s no room for mistakes. If God’s will is a recipe, what happens if you leave out one ingredient? Leaving baking soda out of a recipe is the difference between a birthday cake and a pancake. What if you have “52 Steps to Knowing God’s Will,” and you skip step 37?

God’s will is not a closed system. It is dynamic! It is not always an issue of choosing A or B. In fact, many times you can choose from A to Z, and any of them will be okay. It’s your choice. Why would God give you a brain and not expect you to use it? He lets you make choices, and he gives you second chances.

If God’s will is not a feeling or a formula, what is it?

God’s will is a relationship.

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 1:9, “God . . . invited you into this wonderful friendship with his Son, even Christ our Lord” (TLB).

We find very little in the Bible about the technique of knowing God’s will. But we see thousands of verses that talk about developing a loving relationship with Jesus Christ. Why? Because God’s will is a relationship.

The better you get to know God, the less confusion you’ll have about what his will is. Get to know God, and everything else becomes secondary.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

• If you experience a feeling that you believe is telling you something about God’s will, what is a right, appropriate response?
• Why do you think God allows us to make choices and even mistakes when we are searching for his will?
• How well do you know God — and how can you get to know God better?

Give hope, prayer, and encouragement below. Post a comment & talk about it.

By Gay Bowlin
Another week when not many farmers are farming.  I hear that if anyone has planted anything it is mostly beans and not corn. With rain scheduled for the end of this week it looks like not much will be planted this week either.

With that said – this Saturday is the Rend Lake Water Festival Parade and that means that the 7th Annual Farmers Memorial Antique Tractor Drive will be happening.  We will be at the beginning of the parade and then continue on with our route over the lake.

If you have not registered for the Tractor Drive yet we will be at the old Toler Cinema on West Washington Street at 8:15 and a $25 registration fee is required.  You will receive a t-shirt and an amazing fish dinner.  Or if you just want to enjoy seeing all of the old tractors we will see you on the parade route.
Last Tuesday evening I was very proud to attend the Honors Awards Night at Sesser-Valuer High School and present Marissa Lamczyk with a scholarship for $500 from the Franklin County Farm Bureau and a $910 scholarship from the Young Leaders.  Marissa is the daughter of Melissa Lamczyk, Ag in the Classroom Coordinator and Mark Lamczyk who works at the U of I Extension.  Marissa is planning on becoming a Veterinarian and we wish he the best.

Farmers Markets around the County begin this week. Check out your local market and enjoy home-made items and some fresh foods as well.

Melissa was busy last week setting up incubators and I will keep you posted as to the outcome in each classroom of the number of chicks hatched plus ducks as well.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service  (NASS) is reminding farmers to complete their questionnaires and get them in. The numbers are down this year and by turning in your questionnaire it saves in-person and phone conversations to gather this information.

On the legislative side – SB486, Amendment #1, and HB 5284 both establish a standardized method of assessing commercial solar energy systems for property tax purposes. IFB policy supports a standard method of assessing solar energy systems and supports providing protection for landowners should a solar conversion system owner fail to pay property taxes. IFB is nearing an agreement with representatives of the solar energy developers, County assessors and other interested parties on the t cynics, aspects of the assessment process.  Stand by for more information as it becomes available to me.

Looking for more information on the 2018 Farm Bill? You can go to farmdoc.daily where they have released an initial review of cost estimates of the bill, farm programs and crop insurance, conservation programs and nutrition programs.

Remember we are farmers working together. If we can help let us know.