Eagle Athletics

The following is a guest blog by Kirk Talley, Head Football Coach at Northwestern.  He and his wife Terri (who teaches in the Christian Ministries department) have two daughters, both are alums of Northwestern.

We desire our men to be passionate about the game of football and to have a vision of what it means to be the best they can be at their specific position.  As one looks at the photo below, they can see he is quite focused. 

During the game, our mission is to get the ball back in our possession when we are on defense, and control the ball—protect it, when on offense.  The game then, is all about the ball.  It really comes down to something that simple.  In order for us to accomplish our mission, we have to have a vision and a focus that allows us to play fundamental football each and every practice, scrimmage and game.  It is a process and one that is quite rewarding, not only on the game field, but more importantly, in the hearts and minds of our players.  We want to encourage our athletes to not only be focused on the game field, but in life as well.
Though we believe strongly in our mission, we believe there is an even more important aspect to our program... the heart.   We believe coaching the heart is important, in fact, it is so important we are called to do everything we can to protect our heart (Proverbs 4:23).  One of the greatest warriors that ever lived, King David, guarded his heart.  So much so he was called, by God, a man after God’s own heart!  We, with fervor and spirit, desire for each man to do the same, guard their heart.
And we want to do it together!

So, the best way to let you know who we are and who we want to be is to take a look at our acrostic… EAGLES. 

We believe our players are EQUIPPED to compete at a level which allows them to be the best that they can be….

AFFIRMATION is a huge aspect of this process.  Affirmation is one of the fuels we need to create the synergy needed to be our best. 

We also want to be GRATEFUL for the opportunity to play the great game
of football with each other. It is a privilege!

As coaches, we desire our men to be LOYAL to themselves, to the coaches and above all, the Lord. 

Finally, we want them to be full of ENERGY, whether on the field, flying around a football or as servant warriors, giving themselves away to someone else. 

We are one heart, we have one mission.

A Year In Review

The following is a guest blog by Mark Smith.  He and his wife Theresa are members of the Northwestern College Parent Council.

As I reflect back on my son’s (and our!) first year at NWC, it is amazing how fast it has gone. Like most first-year students, it was filled with some great times and some times of wondering if he will make it. J As the trials have come I am so happy that he has been in a place where people care. At the universities that my other two children have attended you have to work at finding people who care and really work at finding those with a Godly perspective.

My son has been challenged by the classes and is really taking the next step to becoming an adult. The friendships he has made have been awesome. We have had the privilege of hosting his NWC friends at our home where they used the hot tub and just hung out. We have watched these young adults have a great time and honor God at the same time. What more could we ask for as parents?

As mentioned, this first year has flown by and it make me feel so glad that what he is learning is going to have eternal lasting benefits. Soon I will be watching him graduate and I know that I will feel that the money we invested in him by sending him to NWC will be one of the greatest investments I have ever made. We were never promised life would be easy and it isn’t for these young people making the transition from parents telling them what to do to figuring things out for themselves – this is the transition to being adults. What a great spot to help them with this transition with a Christ-centered college!

Preparing for post-graduate job searching

The following is a guest blog by Brent Amundson, an Executive Director for Dell.  He is a 1988 grad of Northwestern and is a member of the Northwestern College Alumni Council.

Many of you have NWC students who are getting ready to graduate this year or next.   As a former NWC business student, I remember vividly how anxious I was to enter the workforce.  And now 25 years later with significant large-company human resources and talent acquisition experience under my belt, I’d like to share some simple professional advice for upcoming graduates that may help those who intend to entering the workforce after graduation.  

·         Create a LinkedIN profile – use it primarily for business/network connections, not purely personal ones.   LinkedIN.com is currently the #1 social site for professional networking and engaging about potential job opportunities as well as connecting with others who hold positions similar to your interest.  It’s a great and growing community and important for new graduates to join.

·         Network, network, network.   Many interviews occur because someone knew someone who knew someone!   Getting the job during the interview is up to the individual – but getting the initial interview often results from networking.   And while LinkedIN and other social sites can better facilitate networking , the concept certainly pre-dates social media – it’s simply social connectivity.   (Incidentally, my first “real” post NWC interview at Cargill resulted from a networking connection – it didn’t guarantee a hire (though I was successful), but it got me in the door to the interview!)

·         Clean up your Facebook and social media site profiles.   We tend to forget the silly things said on our “personal” sites, but often those sites aren’t as personal as many think.   In reality, recruiters and future hiring leaders will likely do a Google search on prospective hires, and while it may not be part of official qualifying criteria – it does and can influence someone’s perspective based on what they see and read.  For a professional position – you want them to focus on your skills more and less on your personal life, so don’t create distractions.

·         Create a great resume highlighting your education and relevant working experiences.  Keep it to one concise page, especially as a new graduate!  Most resumes are now uploaded into Applicant Tracking Systems – so keywords that reflect the job function matter more than ever.  Focus on your education, school activities, and relevant skills and abilities.   Many people ask me if they can include their church affiliation, family details, political affiliation, personal activities and interests on their resume.   My personal advice is to remember that whatever you put on your resume (and your blogs, social media profiles, etc.) can and may be used for or against you in the court of job seeking.  So, I suggest that you focus your resume and professional profiles on skills and abilities (a great differentiator), and less about your personal interests (although community service of any type generally plays well).  Most employers (especially larger ones) generally care much more about what you can contribute (skills and abilities) than your personal choices and interests – so no need to draw focus away from your skills.  One example I often cite is the young man who put on his resume that his hobby was trapping animals and participating in the NRA (neither of which had anything to do with the finance job he was applying for) – and the hiring manager happened to be a strong animal rights activist in her personal life.   He may or may not have been a perfect match skills wise and able to contribute successfully to the company, but he never go the chance to really talk about his skills.

·         Subscribe to online feeds and text alerts for relevant social and news sites to feed you content from your areas of interest.  Knowing more than others about a subject matter can help you win points with a hiring leader.

·         Use but don’t rely solely on traditional “job boards” (i.e. Monster, CareerBuilder, DICE, Indeed, online news outlets, etc.)    Business entities use these as only one channel in which to post their positions.  A few hours of web-surfing will show the new graduate that there’s no shortage of ways and places to find online job postings!

·         Proactively target specific companies that interest you.  Look at their websites and their career sections, and take the time to complete an online profile.  Find out if they have a social media presence (via Twitter, FB, LinkedIN, etc.).  If they do then join their discussion!   If you do join the discussion – don’t just hound them about job positions – actively seek to contribute to the topics to make a positive impression – it may land you an interview at some point.

Certainly the past three years have been challenging for those of us in the business of hiring – but I’m optimistic that the next few years will bring more opportunities for entry-level professionals, and I hope these few suggestions can be used by you and your aspiring graduates better prepare to find an exciting workplace career.

Learning Leadership

The following is a guest blog by Scott Peterson, Executive Director of the Burnsville YMCA.  He and his wife Tami are members of the Northwestern College Parent Council.

I love how Ken Blanchard explains leadership.  "Whenever you are trying to influence the thoughts or behaviors of someone, you are taking on the role of a leader."  It calls each one of us to realize that almost all of our interactions have leadership components

As a parent, for the last 18-22 years, we have taken on the role of a leader with our son or daughter.  We have hoped and prayed that the biblical worldviews we hold have taken root and started to grow and the mistakes we have made will be forgotten and forgiven.  We now pass our children to a more independent environment where professors and peers will have a greater leadership role with them.  They will begin to develop discernment and hopefully apply what they have heard, seen, practiced.

College is now the place for them to expand their leadership skills.  Our leadership role becomes more of an encourager. Some journeys will be faster, some will be slower - but opportunity is waiting.  Challenge your student to explore leadership in this new environment, grow in their own leadership skills, and encourage them to mentor others.

§   Explore leadership.  Encourage your student to get involved in clubs, ministry opportunities, and special chapels.  They will be able to see a variety of leaders in an array of situations.  They will see some things they want to emulate, and they will find things they want to avoid as a leader.  Exploration will lead to learning.

§   Grow. Encourage your student to look for opportunities to practice leadership.  It might be in the form of leading a group project in a class, leading a Bible study on their floor, or leading a ministry at church or outreach.  Growing is also about learning what their strengths and passions are so they can become the best version of themselves and prepared for the work God has for them in the future.

§   Model leadership/mentor others.  Encourage your student to teach others what they have learned.  There are opportunities to be Resident Advisors in the dorm, tutoring other students in an area of interest, and leading by attitude and example in ministry areas they are involved. One of the best learning tools is sharing and investing into the lives of others.

Taking time to explore, learn, and mentor will prepare students for the future to make an impact wherever they are being a leader - in the home, at church, at work, or in their community.  They will be equipped to live out Ephesians 2:10 (MSG) " He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing."

Financial Aid

The following is a guest blog by Richard Blatchley, Director of Financial Aid, Northwestern College

While planning for the new school year, we in the Financial Aid Office would like to take this opportunity to remind you of our commitment to helping you make your Northwestern education an affordable investment.  We encourage you to explore the aid options available to you by visiting our Financial Aid website page.   Here you will find a comprehensive step-by-step plan for applying for financial aid along with answers to questions you may have.  

FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid

One of the first things to do each year is complete an online FAFSA at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/.  

• The FAFSA application is based on you and your parent’s 2011 federal income tax return information.  We suggest you electronically submit your 2011 tax returns 10 days prior to filling out the online FAFSA.     
• While completing your FAFSA, you will be directed to the IRS Data Retrieval Tool used to simply and securely transfer your tax information directly into your FAFSA application.  This tool will help minimize errors and reduce the possibility of being selected for Verification (requiring additional tax documents).  
• For details regarding completing the FAFSA and using the IRS Tool, please visit our Submit the FAFSA website page.

Parent Appeal (Optional)

In the Federal application process, there are situations and circumstances that are not addressed on the FAFSA.  This form will give you an opportunity to provide additional information that may enable us to offer more financial assistance.  Families who experience unusual financial challenges may print the appeal form(s) found on the Financial Aid Forms website page.   

Timely application for financial aid is important to ensure that you are considered for all financial aid programs!  It will take two or three weeks for us to process your financial aid award once our office receives all the necessary documents.  We strongly encourage you to complete these forms by March 1, to help us determine your financing options as early as possible. Full funding is not guaranteed for students who complete the application process after May 1.

Feel free to contact us with any questions at (651) 631-5212 or (866) 853-2455.

ENGAGED & INVOLVED - FAMILY WEEKEND 2012

I often have parents tell me that they are interested in what their students are doing at college but don't want to get to close or intrude on their experience.  I can relate with that thought.  When my son went off to college, I was excited to see him spread his wings and experience this new stage in life.  I didn't want to intrude on his fun or make him feel as if I was "spying" on him.  I over compensated!  I almost completely cut off connection with him.  As I look back, I regret not attending parent weekend or other events with my son and his friends. I want to encourage you to respond in a different way than I did.  I urge you to be engaged and involved.

Be engaged by regularly asking your student about their week.  Be specific.  Ask about classes, assignments, and struggles.  Ask about relationships and interactions with staff and faculty.

Be involved.  This can take many forms.  It may include visits to campus, hosting your student and their friends for a weekend, or attending college related functions.  In three short weeks, you will have an excellent opportunity to be involved.  Our second annual Northwestern College Family Weekend is set for February 17th-19th.  Family Weekend is an opportunity for your entire family to experience fun on campus.  You can catch a basketball game, go to the Spring Musical, play broom ball on the lake, or simply enjoy a hike in the snow.  Most of all, you will be able to spend time with your student and their friends while enjoying the great Minnesota outdoors.  All of the details for registering for this event are located at http://nwc.edu/web/events/calendar-of-events  Please consider joining us.  I am sure you will not be disappointed.


Jim

Nurturing Student Leaders

Much has been written about leadership development.  Everyone from Tony Dungy to John Maxwell has shared their insights on how to be a good leader.  The question today is, how do we as parents nurture our children as future leaders?  Tony Dungy, in his book, The Mentor Leader states, "Mentor leaders look beyond themselves, focusing on the people they lead and where they should be going together."  It seems to me that the first priority is to look beyond ourselves and to focus on the people we are charged with leading and growing - and doing this journey with them. 

My dad was a youth pastor during my childhood years.  I clearly remember him demonstrating leadership in the home and at work.  These were many occasions when members of his youth group needed direction and guidance.  I cannot tell you exact details, but I can tell you this; he regularly met with students.  He invested his life in theirs, and showed them, through his actions, how to be Godly leaders.  I also remember him telling me over and over as a youngster, "Jim your attitude and how you respond to situations shows people a lot about you.  If you can't control yourself, you will end up causing yourself and your family a lot of pain."  He constantly worked with me, teaching me how to be a person who responded well to crises. 

• First step - Model Godly Leadership and Appropriate Responses

As time went on, I made many mistakes and took many detours in my life's journey.  However, I never forgot the advice my dad gave.  I know this because it was the same advice I gave my children many years later.

• Second - Encourage Risk-Taking

There is a difference between being dangerous and taking risks.  In police work, I used to tell rookie officers, "Not wearing your ballistic vest is dangerous."  The job involved taking measured risks.  Would you enter a dark warehouse and search alone - would you approach a car with a known felon inside, and on and on.  These were just a few of the risks we took.  Help your student understand the difference between Risk-taking and begin dangerous in their decision making.  Encourage them to be courageous risk-takers.  As young people grow in their ability to experience new challenges and make decisions, they learn to be leaders.

• Third - Mistakes are Okay and Provide Character-Building Experiences

Finally,  allow your student to make mistakes.  Yes, I said it.  Allow them to fail.  Much is written about the success of Wilber and Orville Wright and their first powered flight.  However, not much is said about the many failures the Wright Brothers and others experienced along the way.  Making mistakes and learning from them is where leadership skills are developed.  I would rather know how someone works through adversity than how they are when everything is going well.  Let you student learn by making mistakes and figuring out how to get through those experiences.  That is the thing that helps hone leaders.

As you think about how to nurture your students to be leaders, please remember to pray for them.  There are many lessons they will learn on their journey and your prayers are vital.  Model Godly leadership in your daily life.  Encourage them to take risks, and allow them to fail.

Jim Bender