On May 16th, over 800 VU students walked a very significant 50 foot trek across a stage to the sound of their name and cheering from their family and friends. Sunday was graduation, where students celebrated their last experience in the chapel as a student at the Baccalaureate service and then went through Commencement.

There were students cheered on by parents and grandparents that had gone to VU, there were students whose family have only spent a short time on campus just to visit but had experiences elsewhere, and there were students who were the first in their family to graduate from college. Regardless of the students' background, the excitement and pride coming from family, friends, and students themselves was ever present. It was an exciting time to be in our standing room-only ARC. I did get a bit sentimental about the graduating students I know, but also reflected on my graduation and experience as a student. Right now, being in Valpo and having the ability to serve my Alma Mater means a great deal to me, especially after all that I have been able to take from VU and the many wonderful people that make this place what it is.

Don't worry, I'm not going to cry, as that's about as much mush as I can handle. College means something unique to me, of course, as I have already had my time. But for those of you who are in the college search process, college may mean many things to you at this point. It could mean a degree and future job, potentially meeting a future spouse, finally studying something you are interested in or a continuation in your athletic career. But the things you may not see yet are the unforeseen experiences you will have during your 4 years that will shape you and mold you into the person that will shake President Hecklers hand at commencement. Yes, these changes can help you in the professional world. I am a much better teacher, public speaker, and numbers analyst after my VU years, but the experience you can have at VU goes beyond your 8-5 day.

In part because of Valpo's Lutheran heritage, and regardless of whether you are Lutheran or even Christian, the term service leadership plays a role in many students experience on (and off) campus. Not only do students learn how to lead, but they learn what that means to lead in service to others. And you can gain the understanding of what defines a person's vocation rather than job. The personal growth you can experience at Valpo is something touches your 12 - 12 day. The comprehension and application of service learning and vocation may not be every students experience, but it's here for any student to experience. This is why our graduates can be found all over the world serving in Peace Corp, Teach for America, Lutheran Volunteer Corp, working at other higher education institutions or even doing research as a Fulbright scholar. They are able to take the academic challenge presented to them and find a way to better serve others in the world.

To be honest, not everyone from VU goes out and does those things, but that is because not everyone is made to do that. But that doesn't mean there is no benefit from the VU experience. It will be your college experience that will set you apart when you apply for that first job after college or for graduate school to continue on your education. And your college experience can be the foundation you start from as you begin the rest of your life.

Moral of the story, I love this place. VU has so much to offer, and I hope you take a step in our direction if you are looking at a university to call home for four years. But don't just take my word for it, get on campus and see for yourself. And if you are at VU or have graduated, you know what I am talking about. In Tua Luce Videmus Lucem.

After all that all too serious commentary, I leave you with this thought:

If winners never quit and quitters never win, who came up with “quit while you’re ahead?”


Ryan

Already just a summer away

In a week and a half, it will be graduation time here on campus. Another academic year is coming to a close, but also another is nearing its beginning. I know for students (and I am one of them!), already thinking about a new semester should not even be in their minds. But I have to say that I am already excited for the fall and for another new class of students on campus.

The breadth and depth of activities that happen on this campus always amaze me. I also learn a lot from the things that happen on campus. For example, I learned who Jason Derulo was because he had a concert on campus last weekend. Also, I learned a lot about Nicaragua from the educational dinner held by SALT, our Social Action Leadership Team. The was held to educate and engage the campus and local community on their World Relief Campaign, Casas for Kids. Not only did I learn about the project and Ometepe Island, but I tasted some of the traditional food that is eaten there! And lastly, I supported the Haiti Relief effort, learned about the history of VU athletics (we had synchronized swimming at one point!) and I purchased a Men's Soccer Jersey in the auction. This was all done at the Old Gold Banquet put on as a Haiti relief fundraiser by a class of sports management students.

So currently, I am excited to see a new class experience these things in the fall. And it is now when seniors have made their final decision and look forward to FOCUS, our orientation program. At FOCUS, they will meet fellow Crusaders, choose their classes and get excited/prepared for the first year at Valpo.

So while things are winding down on one end, they are also getting ready to start up, and I cannot wait to see what Valparaiso University has in store from it's new class of 2014.

And so it starts...

Tuesday marked the beginning of the semester, which officially represents the start of another exciting college year. Many people are getting to see familiar faces, there is excitement and optimism about the new semester and homework has not quite piled up yet (hence the excitement/optimism)! This all was wrapped up in the first day activities including Convocation, Taste of Valpo and the One People One Planet fair.

This years Opening Convocation was the 81st held here at Valparaiso University and is an exciting time to appreciate the people that have brought us this far and the possibilities that the future may hold. At Convocation, faculty and staff who have been in service at Valpo for 25, 30 and 40 years were recognized, and it amazes me (but doesn't necessarily surprise!) at the dedication and enthusiasm of the people who serve at VU. We truly do have some dedicated and wonderful people here. There was also an address by our president, Mr. Heckler, as well as an address by our student body president. Many were in attendence for this traditional opening of the academic year and I hope one day you can join in the celebration if you have not already!

Immediately following Opening Convocation was the "Taste of Valpo" where a variety of restaurants from the Valparaiso area came out to serve samples to the VU community. It was a great turnout, and who can say no to great, free food! There was even a group of guys that brought a croquet set and enjoyed a little friendly rivalry during the festivities. Following the taste was the One People One Planet fair that allows many of the student organizations and clubs the opportunity to showcase what they do and for students to see what is available to them. For new students, this is a great opportunity to not only see what is out there, but to gather more information and get on a few email lists. But make sure not to get too involved right away, you want to enjoy some free time as well!

Tuesday also marked the beginning of my semester, because I too am taking a class! While VU is a primarily undergraduate campus, we offer some exciting graduate programs. The program I have started this fall is our new Master of Science in International Economics and Finance. As a math person, I am very excited about this program and the class I am taking this fall. The class is Econometrics which has an emphasis on statistics. Math, woohoo! Another program that had peaked my interest before is our MS in International Commerce and Policy. No, not all of our programs have an international focus, but VU is working to prepare all students for the increasingly global world. Someone used the phrase "global world" the other day, and while at first I thought it redundant, the more I pondered this, the more it made sense. Even 100 years ago, our world was still very internationally segregated and traveling internationally was nowhere near what it is today. So yes, I think our world is becoming more global as goofy as that may sound.

Well that is enough rambling for today. Hopefully your weekend is great, and I leave you with this thought...

Remember, Old age is inevitable; growing up is optional.

Ryan

It's getting to be that time

Hello!!

Summer is beginning to wind down, and that means the fall is quickly approaching. The summer has been a quick but enjoyable one for me this year! I took a trip with my fellow admission counselor, Seth, out to the Boundary Waters in northern Minnesota. It was amazing out there even with lugging all the food/supplies/canoe/kayak around! I also went down to New Orleans for the ELCA youth gathering. It was crazy to see all the youth and their positive impact on the city down there. So if you went, way to go!!

Anywho, the big thing I am doing right now is planning my travel for the upcoming months. A big part of my job in the fall is visit high schools and attend college fairs in order to make sure YOU are informed about what Valpo has to offer. While I do not have my full high school schedule lined up yet, I do know where I will be with college fairs. Hopefully I will be at one near you!

Sept. 9 at CBC 7:00 - 8:30 PM (STL)
Sept. 10 at DeSmet College Day 2:45 - 5:00 PM (STL)
Sept. 15 at Marquette HS for the Rockwood District Fair 7:00 - 8:30 PM (STL)
Sept. 16 at Parkland College 6:00 - 8:00 PM (Champaign, IL)
Sept. 17 at Danville Area Community College 9:00 - 11:30 AM (Danville, IL)
Sept. 21 at Kaskaskia area College Fair 11:30 - 1:00 PM Transfers, 6:00 - 8:00 PM All (Centralia, IL)
Sept. 22 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Lutheran College Fair 7:30 - 9:00 PM (STL)
Sept. 23 at Parkway College Fair 7:00 - 8:30 PM (STL)
Oct. 7 at Capitol Area College Fair 8:00 - 11:00 AM, 12:30 - 2:00 PM, 5:00 - 6:30 PM (Springfield, IL)
Oct. 13 at Taylorville HS College Night 6:30 - 8:00 PM (Taylorville, IL)
Oct. 14 at Quincy Area College Fair 6:30 - 8:00 PM (Quincy, IL)
Oct. 18 at NACAC fair at SLU 12:00 - 3:00 PM (STL)
Oct. 19 at 5 Schools Fair at Meremac CC 5:30 - 7:00 PM (STL)
Oct. 20 at SIU-E College Fair 6:00 - 8:00 PM (Edwardsville, IL)
Oct. 21 at Ill Central College Fair 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM Transfers, 5:30 - 8:00 All (Peoria, IL)

There may be updates, so be ready! Also, I will post my high school visits and times when those are settled. Oh the exciting life of an admission counselor!!

I wish you the best as you begin the school year, and I will leave you with this thought:

How do you tell when a rice cake has gone stale?

Ryan

Did you know...

As of Fall 2009, Valparaiso University will have men's and women's golf as well as women's bowling?

David Cook played a concert on campus this last weekend, and he had previously been to Valpo (not for a concert, though)?

The ultra-comfortable orange chairs that sit in the Community Room of VU's library were designed by the same architect who designed the arch in St. Louis?

In 1860, the Pony Express used men riding on horseback to carry mail between St. Joseph, Missouri, and Sacramento, California?

The VU Choral, one of the nation's top Lutheran collegiate choirs, will be performing across the midwest including the cities of Milwaukee, St. Louis, St. Paul, Kansas City, Des Moines and Lincoln, Neb., and will also be performing in New York at the famous Carnegie Hall?

3 and 12 are congruent modulo 3?

For the third consecutive year, a group of Valparaiso University students will travel to Central America during their spring break to gain a global perspective on teaching and learning?

Valpo's spring break lasts two weeks?

Our new Harre Student Union is over 202,000 square feet, which is slightly larger twice the size of the White House?

No president of the United States was an only child?

Valpo students logged just under 57,000 hours of community service last year?

The Valpo placement rate for pre-medical students is over 83% which is significantly stronger than the national average of about 47%?

40% of McDonals's profits come from the sales of Happy Meals?

The voice of the Pillsbury Dough Boy comes from a Valpo graduate?


Well, now that you are enlightened, come visit campus if you have not had the chance, and remember to fill out that FAFSA!!!!! Until next time, I leave you with this thought...

How do you know when you're in the middle of nowhere?

Ryan

I just got lost...Every river that I tried to cross

For those of you seniors who are still searching for that right school, the right place to call home, do you ever feel a little lost? Do you feel like you are stuck on this island, not quite sure where to go or how you are going to get there? You are put there with a group of people that you did not know before, but your lives have all become entwined during your life on this island. As you look to part ways and leave, you may not all come back together, but you will still remember each others impact. And as you begin your last semester, time seems to move forward quickly, and yet, you look back at the memories and it seems that you are warping to different periods of your life. And as you move forward, you may have inclinations to come back to this place in your life, to come back to the island which you were on at one time. Well, I assure you that you have much to look forward, and that you will discover a greater world out there with new people to meet and new places to explore.

"Wow, Ryan, that seems analogous to my feelings about college and high school right now", you may say. Or maybe, "wow, Ryan, you need to stop watching Lost." Either way, I hope that you do look forward to a new chapter of your life where you gain independence, explore your interests and figure out what Benjamin Linus really has going on up in that noggin of his.

Coming up at Valpo, which I highly encourage you to consider if you have not already, are 3 more Destination Valpo Day's that will give Valpo admitted seniors the chance to stay on campus with a current VU student! You will also get to meet other VU students and prospectives that come from all over the country!

Even if you are unable to make one of the DVD visits, I encourage you to visit campus! Making the visit gives you a much truer sense of the students, academics and environment. I encourage you to make at least one visit to all of the schools you are considering if you have the opportunity. As much as I love Valpo and want to see you succeed here, if Valpo is not the place for you, visiting helps you find that out, too. That being said, I encourage you to check out our 4-week old, 202,000 square feet (twice the size of the White House!) Student Union as well as the rest of our beautiful campus. Spring break is from Feb. 28 until March 15, so unless you cannot avoid it, I would encourage you to plan your visit outside of those days.

Have a great weekend, enjoy the Super Bowl, and I leave you with this thought:

Why do scientists call it research when looking for something new?

Ryan

A New Year

Maybe this makes me old, but I remember 1999 when there was fear and anxiety about this scary new millennium. All of our computers were going to crash, automobiles would stop working and mass chaos would ensue. What good all that worrying did, right? Good thing we won't have to worry about that again for a while.

With the new year comes a fresh start, and I made a new year's resolution. I am going to write more on my blog. Ambitious I know, but I think with some hard work, introspective thinking, and perseverance, it can be done. I have a habit of starting and stopping things with the intent to continue on, but for some reason, continuing tasks with no clear end in sight tend to slip through my fingers until it is too late and it becomes a lost cause. But not today! And if you are like me, I challenge you to pick something that you really want to pursue, whether it is playing an instrument, learning a foreign language, learning to cook, or any other activity that you may enjoy through life, continue on! Work at it! While you most likely will not see any immediate results, you will appreciate the day you look back and see what great things you have accomplished.

As someone who graduated from college a few years ago, I truly enjoyed the friendships I grew in my four years, but as the convenience of my friends living next door or down the hall disappeared with graduation, I realized how much time and effort friendships can take. If you are heading into your final semester of high school, I am sure that this inevitable event is beginning to hang over you (if it wasn't and now is, sorry!) as you gear up for your final semester. Enjoy the time you spend with those people, but also keep your eyes on the future. You have endless possibilities before you, and choosing college is one of the most influential decisions you will make. Yes the degree matters, but more importantly, where you end up will determine who you meet and who you are surrounded by. It determines what experiences you will have, how you will grow, what you will learn, and where your future will lead. So take the time in the college search to evaluate everything. Yes money matters, but will the different schools you are looking at give you a chance to become a leader? Can you truly learn the academic content while using it to serve others and make the world a better place? Will you be happy there? I hope you find somewhere that gives you answers to those questions...I was glad I found that place for me.

Good luck on the new year, and if you have any interesting, outlandish, or just plain sincere new year's resolutions, feel to post them on a reply. I think putting those out there can make them more concrete and I would enjoy hearing them. Regardless, enjoy the fresh start and in these winter months, stay warm! Unless of course you are from the south, enjoy the not so hot months! I leave you with this thought...

If 7-11 stores are open 24 hours/day, 365 days/year, why are there locks on the door?

Until next time,

Ryan