Meeting with consultant…High School Senior Kick-off Day...
The Blue Room of Nazareth Hall is surprisingly quiet, filled with 118 students from three Christian high schools for a campus visit event. Cureton waits for his cue from admission counselor Micah Stelter ’09. At the microphone, Stelter recalls meeting Cureton for the first time as a student and being shocked when the president called him by name the next time he saw him: “Well, hey, Micah.” He has what people around him have called an incredible memory for names and faces. Cureton steps to the podium, looking out at the students who may be part of the Northwestern community next year or the next. He prays a blessing as they “go where God leads.” They don’t know it, but everything he does is aimed at making Northwestern the college they will want to attend. …prep for Academic Affairs board agenda item…NW Foundation board meeting…fly to Denver…dinner with new trustee in Colorado…
Justin Redman
Monday, September 10
“Creative pathways…cost efficient methods…‘Degree in Three’…” A couple of Eagle athletes in their team shirts walk by the window, lost in conversation. Cureton speaks of a strategic vision for the future—10,000 students enrolled, online and on campus, by 2021. In the meantime, Northwestern must stay ahead of trends…increase enrollment…reach media users through new technologies. “It is critical that we differentiate ourselves,” he says. “But our mission remains compelling in this changing and challenging context.” …host appreciation event at home for Admissions staff and their families (40–50 people)…
Friday, September 14 (Ohio) Fly to Detroit…give public lecture on Christian higher education at the John H. Russel Center for Educational Leadership (University of Toledo)…sit on panel for final dissertation defense…
Tuesday, September 18 (Indiana) NCAA Nominating Committee… Cureton attends a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) meeting in Indianapolis. (On October 8 he received official notification that he has been approved as a member of the NCAA Division III Presidents Council—a high honor. See page 7.)
Tuesday, September 11 (Colorado)
Wednesday, September 12 Early morning Bible study with the former chair of the NWC board and other business leaders…meet with consultant on strategic planning… cabinet meeting… It’s one of the first cool autumn days of the new school year. In a conference room off the president’s office, Cureton meets with his cabinet to review an important upcoming presentation for the board. They are developing “an intentional plan for sustaining and extending the mission of Northwestern College and Northwestern Media in increasingly competitive and commoditized environments.” Cureton takes the members through the PowerPoint in progress, seeking input. “Utilizing technology as a key asset…online learning growth… enrollment trends…” A student wearing a blue hoodie walks slowly past the Riley Hall conference room’s glass wall, carrying a backpack and staring at her phone.
Thursday, September 20 Coffee with former faculty member…chapel…donor update meeting…MN Campus Compact board meeting…meeting with student government president and vice president…
Amy ritter
Visit The Navigators’ headquarters…lunch with The Navigators national leadership team members, including several who lost homes in Colorado Springs wildfires—an opportunity for encouragement…return to Denver airport…arrive in Minneapolis…
Cureton welcomes Student Government President Max Rymer ’13 and Vice President Dan Plack ’14 to the round table in his office. The atmosphere is informal and friendly as Cureton peers at the meeting agenda through reading glasses pulled to the end of his nose. Although much of his work is from the vantage point of 30,000 feet, this is definitely ground-level engagement. They whisk through several agenda items, talking through things such as student surveys, technology issues and student government heading up an effort to let students know they can vote in the city where they attend college. The discussion becomes more thoughtful as they discuss matters of social/moral conscience and institutional engagement in public policy issues. The exchange is respectful and reflective. Fa l l/ W i n t e r 2 012 P ILO T
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