EU graduate students and professors share a personal glimpse of what it's like to return to campus for one of Evangel's eight Graduate Studies programs.
The views expressed in blogs are the opinion of the individual blogger and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Evangel University.
Graduate Studies Archive
Blogger: Lisa Tyson, Assistant Director, Graduate and Professional Studies
Date: 9/28/2010
Reaping the Benefits
Five years ago, I would never have imagined myself going back to school. I had a bachelor's degree in government and was working full-time at my alma mater. I was a busy wife and mother of three school-age children. I was heavily involved in my church. But I was restless. Being a learner, I wanted more. I had questions. Can I be successful in grad school after being out of school so long? Can I balance work, family, church responsibilities and school? What does God have planned for me? Will this really provide me with more opportunities in the workplace? After much prayer, and with encouragement from my coworkers and my supervisor, I took a step of faith and began working on my master's degree in Organizational Leadership here at Evangel. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. It was convenient to my schedule and because this degree was important to me, I found time - a little here - a little there, throughout my week to complete coursework. Going back to school was not easy, but it was worth the temporary sacrifice I made. I walked away from this degree with new goals and dreams and the tools I would need to be an effective leader in any organization I found myself a part of.
Next stop? A Ph.D. in Global Leadership with a specialization in Academic Administration, courtesy of Indiana Tech. I'm excited to begin this new adventure in my life and I am thankful for a master's degree that prepared me, not only to make a difference right now in my organization, but also to assume even greater responsibility in the future. I'm already reaping the benefits and I can't wait to see what God has planned for my future.
Wondering about your future? Check out Evangel's Organizational Leadership program at http://www.evangel.edu/GraduateStudies/MOL
Blogger: Dana Burnich, Orchard Hills 3rd grade teacher, current Teaching graduate student
Date: 9/22/2010
Impact at a Young Age
This year, my school's Back to School theme was "All Roads Lead to Willard... and beyond!" Because of that, each classroom teacher picked a college to "sponsor" outside their doorways. What other school to pick than Evangel, my alma mater? After a few e-mails and phonecalls, I was generously given a LOT of decor for the outside of my door. I have EU alumni Danny Sweet's jersey and helmet hanging up as well as multiple posters and decals, thanks to Charity Fahlstrom. My students were so pumped to come into the classroom on Meet the Teacher Night and get Evangel pencils and stress balls. Not only is it healthy for students at a Title I school to start dreaming about where they will go to college, what better campus to start dreaming about than Evangel? I would be so honored if any of my students ended up attending Evangel based on a conversation that began in 3rd grade. Who knows? It could happen!
Blogger: Professor Debbie Bicket, Program Coordinator for Graduate School Counseling
Date: 9/16/2010
Time to Fly
This past summer, as I signed all the certification forms for our graduating students, I was reminded of how FAST time goes when one is in graduate school. It seems like just yesterday those students sat across from me in my office, exploring the exciting new path of attending graduate school. Secretly, they were wondering if they could pull it off-feeling slightly overwhelmed at the thought of keeping up with classes, jobs, and family obligations -- and graduation seemed so far away.
Then suddenly, those same students are filling out graduation forms, applying for certification, and best of all, GETTING HIRED!!! We are so excited as we hear the news of our students getting jobs in the area public schools, knowing that they will be touching the lives of so many children and adolescents as school counselors. Evangel students become like family to the faculty and staff of the School Counseling program because as we invest in you, we grow fond of you.
So when you stretch your wings and go out into the world of school counseling, you'll always remain a part of the Evangel family!
Blogger: Dr. Matt Stringer, Program Coordinator, Graduate Studies Education
Date: 9/13/2010
Servant Leadership
One interesting item I have observed at Evangel on several occasions is students and faculty demonstrating servant leadership. Jesus encouraged His disciples toward servant leadership by stating they are not to rule by exercising authority over, but rather rule like the one who serves as He has demonstrated Himself (Luke 22:25-27). Servant leadership comes easy at times but consider how a servant leader responds to the following situations?
1. A school selects a new principal from several candidates that are currently teachers in the district. How might a servant leader motivate and inspire the teachers that were not selected?
2. What if you are one of the teachers that was not selected for the position. How would you motivate and inspire yourself and your fellow teachers?
Serving is harder to do than leading. Servant leaders help others to discover talents, bring people together, and earn respect because others recognize that they love and care about them. Jesus washed the feet of His disciples (John 13:12-15) and Paul encouraged the Corinthians to devote themselves to service (1Corinthians 16: 15-18). As you develop leadership abilities keep in mind that leadership is not just about control but involves empowering people through service.
Blogger: Charity Fahlstrom, Admissions go-to gal
Date: 9/2/2010
No Excuse
In my devotion time, I've been reading about Saul and David. Most of us are very familiar with these kings of Israel but a few key passages and ideas have stood out to me as I've been studying.
In I Samuel 13, Saul and the Israelites were camped at Gilgal preparing to fight the Philistines. Samuel had instructed Saul that he would arrive in 7 days to make offering and seek God's direction and blessing. However, when day 7 came and Samuel had not arrived, Saul grew impatient. His men were losing heart and fleeing and he grew worried and offered the sacrifice himself. How many times are we like Saul, letting circumstances dictate our actions rather than remaining steadfast in our faith?
Samuel arrived as Saul finished burning the offering. I love that Samuel zeroed in on Saul's wrong, rather than his excuse. He broke God's law. He wasn't the one appointed to offer sacrifices, regardless of the seemingly impending doom. Because Saul did not admit his wrong and instead excused his behavior, God chose another whose heart would follow him.
It's important for us to use eyes of faith and realize that God is greater than any situation. If Saul had waited, God could have destroyed the Philistines without any military at all-so it wouldn't have mattered how many of Saul's men fled. Saul would have also modeled for his men a life that trusts in God, rather than self.
I challenge you (as I challenge myself), not to be quick to do things that are beyond your authority or to compromise or sidestep what you know to be right. God knows your heart, regardless of the excuses or reasons you may give. Be obedient to Him.
Check in next week for my thoughts on David's actions and attitude.
Blogger: Kati Burkdoll, School Counseling student
Date: 8/2/2010
The Newness
As summer draws to an end, the excitement of heading back to school makes its presence known; parents are more than ready to send their children back to school, and children are more than ready to see less of their parents and more of their friends. Looking back at my own early school years I clearly remember the excitement I felt of going back to school: new teacher, new learning material, new classroom, new hallway, new friends, and the "coolness" factor of being a grade higher.
In the midst of all the newness the greatest part about going back was school supply shopping! Something about loading up in the car and heading to Wal-Mart to buy new supplies was AWESOME! I literally felt on top of the world! New crayons, folders, glue sticks, paper, and the list goes on. I was ready to head back and learn!
However, what I didn't notice at a young age was the number of students who show up on the first day of school with supplies from last year or hand-me-downs from older siblings: broken crayons, half empty bottles of glue, dirty backpacks, or holes in their clothes. Hear me out when I'm saying hand-me-downs aren't a bad thing. What I'm saying here is that these students didn't, couldn't experience the same joy and excitement I felt when going shopping. Sitting on the other side of the desk as a current substitute teacher and future school counselor, the realness of students not experiencing the newness tugs at your heart. **Stay with me. . .here comes the happy part of the blog.**
On July 31, 2010 NINE churches all ranging in different denominations came together to serve ONE main purpose. . .to supply students in the Ava, Plainview, and Skyline district with brand new school supplies! We gathered in the middle school/high school cafeteria for a FREE give away. No strings attached, no fine print, no questions asked. We simply came together around the hope and prayer that the Lord would bless EVERY student and parent that walked through the door.
Here is the shock and awe part; "List of Supplies Purchased:" 200 packages of paper, 600 notebooks, 600 boxes of pencils, 700 erasers, 500 school boxes, 400 scissors, 700 boxes of crayons, 500 glue sticks, 300 bottles of glue, 200 boxes of colored pencils, 1300 folders, 1000 pens, 70 back packs, 500 toothbrushes, 60 binder packs, and a table full of girls' and boys' underwear and socks. Grand total..almost $4,000.
Serving that day I saw at least 500 students come through the line with an excitement in their eyes knowing that they were going shopping for BRAND NEW school supplies. Words don't touch the things I felt after that service project: joy, excitement, passion, and a peace fully knowing that the Lord changed lives in our small town. How awesome to think that because of faithfulness the Lord blessed and prepared 500 students to succeed inside the classroom!
The simple truth: many kids in school districts all around the United States show up without the necessary school supplies. The simple challenge: if you know a student who is in need of supplies (or know of a place taking school supply items), stock them up! At the minimum, to supply one child, it would cost less than $10. That's a Monday and Wednesday without Starbucks, but it's a life changing experience for both the giver and receiver.
School is in session!
Comment from Ms. Bicket
What a great reminder of what we can do, Kati. As a past teacher and school counselor myself, I also know that providing supplies for those students mentioned above ALSO blesses their teachers, who most likely have been purchasing supplies out of their own paychecks year after year. How exciting to hear about what the churches did in your area! It's a "cup of cold water to someone in need."
Blogger: Todd Riddle, Master of Organizational Leadership 2nd year student in the hybrid program
Date: 7/23/2010
Uncommon learning
I returned to Evangel this week for the third residency period of the MOL program. It was a beautiful Springfield day with deep blue skies as I drove past the intramural fields entering campus. I have a ritual of driving past the intramural fields to fondly relive K1N intramural football championships of long ago. As I parked the car and walked across the now beautiful campus, my surgically repaired knees provided a rude and unnecessary reminder that those intramural games were a very long time ago.
Although my physical decline has not been a fun personal measure of time, Evangel seems to measure time in a positive upward trend of growth and excellence. The grounds and facilities are fabulous. I return to campus excited to see classmates and fellowship with the school leadership with feelings much like the first day of church camp. So why is this place special? People who work and live here may not realize that what is common to them is incredibly uncommon in so many other places of higher learning.
My academic transcript includes a military academy, an elective motorcycle repair class from a community college, a few years worth of credits from a major state university and, finally, a B.S. from Evangel. This patchwork academic record qualifies me to know little more than one thing; Evangel is a special place. The faculty and staff serve with an anointed calling to make Evangel a special place. The students pursue spiritual and academic learning as stewards of their role within the Kingdom and that makes Evangel a special place. This school brings people together who want to make themselves and the world more like Christ. I am proud to stand (on bad knees) with Evangel in our unique role in the body of Christ as these gifted people impact the Kingdom of God.
Blogger: Jeff Burnett, Director of Admissions
Date: 7/16/2010
My MOL: 56% done!
20 credits down, 16 to go. Our MOL (Master's of Organizational Leadership) cohort is amazed at how quickly our first year has gone! We just wrapped up a fun 3-credit marketing class, and 1-credit project where we presented a marketing plan to a ficticious board of directors. Our cohort is now studying Managerial Finance, and finding it surprisingly engaging.
The new seated MOL cohort began their program last night, and our new hybrid MOL cohort begins with their EU residency experience next Tuesday through Saturday.
This is a wonderful program for leaders, and those wishing to gain more insights into what it takes to be a Level 5 Leader!
Blogger: Charity Fahlstrom, Admissions Counselor Graduate Studies
Date: 7/6/2010
Bananas within Reach
Not long ago I read a great devotional about some monkeys. Without giving anything away, I'll tell you I found it hilarious and at the same time distressing. The situation definitely got me thinking. Are you intrigued? If so, check out the devotional at Crosswalk.