Summer 2007 - Northwestern College

President’sreport
Northwestern Classic
Dr. Bruce Murphy
President
After 125 Years, an Even
More Promising Future
A few years ago, organizational sage Peter Drucker made this prediction: “In 25 years, small, residential,
liberal arts colleges will be obsolete.” As Northwestern prepares to begin a yearlong celebration of its
125-year anniversary, I would like to explain why I strongly disagree with Dr. Drucker, yet believe we need
to take his statement seriously.
First, two stories: In February, Northwestern theatre professor and Iowa Professor of the Year Jeff
Barker was asked by Iowa Governor Chet Culver, “What is your
secret?” Turning to his wife, Karen, Jeff said, “Karen has said it best. The key to good
teaching is ‘letting your students peek inside your grocery cart.’”
It took a moment, but the governor understood: Allowing students to know you as a
person—and observe your life away from the classroom—opens them up to hearing what
you have to say as a professional.
A few months after Professor Barker’s honor was announced, we learned that one of
our 2006 graduates had received a very prestigious graduate school fellowship. Daniel
Berntson was one of only two college and university graduates in the nation to receive an
American Graduate Fellowship. The award is worth up to $100,000 for two years of doctoral
study at one of 23 top-tier private research universities. Daniel was accepted by several
schools and eventually decided to study philosophy at Brown University.
Recently Daniel’s mother reminded me why he chose to come to Northwestern. As a
home-schooled student, he had taken Advanced Placement courses at NWC during his
high school years. He loved his professors, she said, and became convinced this was a
place where he could grow as a person and deepen his Christian faith without checking
his mind at the door.
I believe Northwestern and other similar schools will not only survive but flourish in
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I believe Northwestern and
other similar schools will
not only survive but flourish
in the years ahead because
personal relationships
and integrative learning
are critical to an education
that matters.
the years ahead because personal relationships and integrative learning are critical to an education that matters. Of the many
lessons to be learned from the horrible tragedy at Virginia Tech, perhaps the most significant is that knowing our students as
individuals and helping them integrate the various pieces of their lives is the foundation of meaningful learning and the
seedbed of wisdom. Without this, all the expertise in the world is of little value.
But Drucker is right to express his concerns. Schools like Northwestern are threatened by rising costs, distance learning
opportunities, and more specialized offerings at large public universities. It is going to take the efforts of all of us—faculty, staff,
trustees, alumni and friends—to keep Northwestern strong.
I have no doubt this will happen. Thank you for sending us students, for contributing financially, and for praying faithfully.
By God’s grace, the next 125 years will be Northwestern’s best.
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2 ▲ Summer 2007