This weekend I had the opportunity to attend one of Wartburg’s Fall Scholarship Days where I joined two families for lunch and then interviewed eight of the over 110 students who were on campus to compete for scholarship dollars in addition to the $10,000 they have each already earned. As I have each time before, I was again amazed at the quality of students I interviewed. They will all contribute a great deal to our already vibrant campus. If you are ever interested in joining us for a scholarship day to interview students, be sure to contact our admissions office.
During the luncheon, President Colson addressed the student’s and their families. While I was listening to him speak I realized that many of you would probably like to hear a few of the things he said, so here are a couple of excerpts.
Enjoy!
Jeff
Jeff Beck
During the luncheon, President Colson addressed the student’s and their families. While I was listening to him speak I realized that many of you would probably like to hear a few of the things he said, so here are a couple of excerpts.
Enjoy!
Jeff
Jeff Beck
Director of Alumni & Parent Programs
Excerpts from President Darrel Colson’s remarks at Wartburg’s Fall Scholarship Day, Nov. 15, 2009
………………
“Wartburg’s own vocation, I often say to people, is summed up in its mission statement: Wartburg College is dedicated to challenging and nurturing students for lives of leadership and service as a spirited expression of their faith and learning.”
“Here was the clincher for me. Not only is this mission something that I can believe in; it’s something that everyone on campus believes in. I was sold on Wartburg when I realized that it not only offered splendid liberal education, that it not only faithfully lived out its heritage of service to others and respect for vocation, but that every member of the Wartburg community took to heart the obligation and privilege of preparing young people for lives of leadership and service that expresses their faith and learning.”
“To those of you in the audience who are students facing the same questions I was facing last spring, know this: if you join us, we will offer you ample opportunities to develop your innate abilities. You will learn more about yourselves and about the world than you can even imagine right now; you will have occasions to exercise leadership on your own terms an in your own ways; you will almost effortlessly find yourself serving your neighbors and deriving great gratification from doing so; and you will enjoy many moments of reflection upon faith."
Excerpts from President Darrel Colson’s remarks at Wartburg’s Fall Scholarship Day, Nov. 15, 2009
………………
“Wartburg’s own vocation, I often say to people, is summed up in its mission statement: Wartburg College is dedicated to challenging and nurturing students for lives of leadership and service as a spirited expression of their faith and learning.”“Here was the clincher for me. Not only is this mission something that I can believe in; it’s something that everyone on campus believes in. I was sold on Wartburg when I realized that it not only offered splendid liberal education, that it not only faithfully lived out its heritage of service to others and respect for vocation, but that every member of the Wartburg community took to heart the obligation and privilege of preparing young people for lives of leadership and service that expresses their faith and learning.”
“To those of you in the audience who are students facing the same questions I was facing last spring, know this: if you join us, we will offer you ample opportunities to develop your innate abilities. You will learn more about yourselves and about the world than you can even imagine right now; you will have occasions to exercise leadership on your own terms an in your own ways; you will almost effortlessly find yourself serving your neighbors and deriving great gratification from doing so; and you will enjoy many moments of reflection upon faith."
"And, I have noticed, you will have a lot of fun doing these things.”
………………
“I continue to be astounded at the successes our graduates enjoy. A week does not pass without my meeting an alum who is CEO of a very successful company, whether a company whose name you have all heard or a company that’s much smaller but just as successful. Similarly, a week doesn’t pass that I don’t meet an alum who has spent a life in service and received great rewards for doing so.”
“A couple of weeks ago, I was at a dinner in Washington where the College was receiving a prestigious award from the Washington Center. Oh, by the way, this happens all the time. Wartburg is always earning distinction: last week, our men’s soccer team won the Conference championship and headed to the NCAA playoffs, only to lose in the second round last night in a nail-biter—penalty-kick shootout after the second overtime; two weeks ago, “The Circuit,” Wartburg College’s student media Web site, won the 2009 Associated Collegiate Press Online Pacemaker Award, which is that association’s highest award. The week before that, the then-president of Des Moines University (who has since resigned so that he can run for governor again) said that our graduates are the best students in his med school. This goes on and on.”
“But, back to my story. To this gala Washington Center dinner where the College was going to be one of only 5 schools in the nation given the Civic Education Award, I had invited some alums who live in the Washington area. During dinner, I was eavesdropping on the conversation that two of them were having. The one fellow is an oncologist, the other a research scientist. Before that evening, they had not met, but to their mutual surprise, they realized that the physician had been prescribing medications that the scientist had developed in his labs at the University of Michigan and Johns Hopkins University.”
“It was a remarkable moment for me, driving home the point that I’m making about the quality of preparation that Wartburg provides.”
………………
“I continue to be astounded at the successes our graduates enjoy. A week does not pass without my meeting an alum who is CEO of a very successful company, whether a company whose name you have all heard or a company that’s much smaller but just as successful. Similarly, a week doesn’t pass that I don’t meet an alum who has spent a life in service and received great rewards for doing so.”
“A couple of weeks ago, I was at a dinner in Washington where the College was receiving a prestigious award from the Washington Center. Oh, by the way, this happens all the time. Wartburg is always earning distinction: last week, our men’s soccer team won the Conference championship and headed to the NCAA playoffs, only to lose in the second round last night in a nail-biter—penalty-kick shootout after the second overtime; two weeks ago, “The Circuit,” Wartburg College’s student media Web site, won the 2009 Associated Collegiate Press Online Pacemaker Award, which is that association’s highest award. The week before that, the then-president of Des Moines University (who has since resigned so that he can run for governor again) said that our graduates are the best students in his med school. This goes on and on.”
“But, back to my story. To this gala Washington Center dinner where the College was going to be one of only 5 schools in the nation given the Civic Education Award, I had invited some alums who live in the Washington area. During dinner, I was eavesdropping on the conversation that two of them were having. The one fellow is an oncologist, the other a research scientist. Before that evening, they had not met, but to their mutual surprise, they realized that the physician had been prescribing medications that the scientist had developed in his labs at the University of Michigan and Johns Hopkins University.”
“It was a remarkable moment for me, driving home the point that I’m making about the quality of preparation that Wartburg provides.”
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