Giving It Your All

By Steve Huerd

Having worked with high school students these past twenty-four years in professional youth ministry, I’ve seen thousands of students who have made incredible sacrifices to gain entrance into the colleges of their choice.

Students' Commitment to College

A friend of mine was telling me recently how his son (only now in "eighth" grade) decided that he wanted to attend an Ivy League school.  This goal pushed him to spend many Friday nights studying while his other friends were out having fun, so he could earn the highest GPA possible.  He also pushed hard in cross-country and track so he could be nominated for team captain.  He ventured into DECCA and other organizations that would shine on elite college applications.  After being turned down by several Ivy League institutions, he eventually wound up on the west coast at Stanford.

Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA

Every year it seems that the stakes grow higher as high schools offer more and more AP courses as they seek to prepare their students for college.  With the rising cost of undergraduate tuition, well-meaning parents are constantly pushing their kids to take as many college prep, AP, and college-high school credit courses as possible resulting in even higher standards of performance.

Over and over again in high school counselors' offices the phrase, “If you want to go (there), you’ll have to do this and this” is repeated to youth who truly want to obtain the best that the next four years can give them.  And, year after year, in school after school, they pursue their dreams with intense fervor and discipline-- hoping that one day it will all be worth it.

Whether you agree or disagree with the current state of affairs regarding this phenomenon, the reality is that there is an ever-increasing class of eager students pushing themselves to achieve their dreams and aspirations.  They come naïve and somewhat open-handed to us, the learned and the educated of society, to prepare them for what lies ahead.  Along with their parents they pay small fortunes in order to sit at our feet, to read the books of our choosing, and to complete the coursework we deem appropriate.

Our Corresponding Responsibility As Professors

Knowing this truth, how should we feel as professors of these students?  While we are instinctively aware that we simply cannot give them "all" that they need-- knowing them and seeing their hearts should motivate us to be the absolute best we can be.  In every class, we become stewards of their sacrifices, hope for their dreams, and wisdom for that which they seek.  And while the mileage of this truth varies from student to student, the overall stewardship and responsibility of imparting knowledge and training to them continually remains in our court as professors.  Teaching at this level to such impressionable and eager minds is truly a high calling worthy of the stricter judgment God requires (James 3:1).  Being aware of the generational impact of our teaching upon the church and the society as a whole ought to cause us to give it our best.  May God, in his mercy, grant us continued steadfastness showing us His approval, making our efforts successful.

On Not Quitting

by Sharon Warkentin Short

            Seven years ago, on my first visit to the campus where I eventually completed my Ph.D., I had the opportunity to sit in on one of the classes. It happened to be the first session of the term, and in his introductory remarks to the students the professor offered this simple counsel: The key to getting a Ph.D. is to not quit. I reflected on that bit of wisdom many times throughout my journey to graduation, and it occurred to me that it is equally valid advice for recent graduates like me who are in the process of building their academic careers. 

            Following graduation a little over a year ago, I launched a personal campaign to determine exactly what I wanted to do with my shiny new Ph.D., and to develop a plan for making my vision happen. After only a few months of concentrated full-time effort, my spouse was unexpectedly unemployed, and in order for us to make ends meet I had to take a wage-earning job immediately. I was frustrated and disappointed that so many hours of my days suddenly had to be devoted to work other than my academic career, and I was anxious for the day to come when I could get back to what I really wanted to do. The months wore on, and nothing changed.

            I finally realized that I did not need to, nor should I, wait until our lives were “back on track” before continuing to work on my own future career. Even if I could work on career development for only an hour a day—even if it should take two years instead of one to get started in a teaching job—even if my situation never returned to the ease that I had enjoyed before—even then, I could continue to build toward an academic profession. The key was simply to not quit. It sounds easy and obvious, but for me that realization was a terrific breakthrough. It freed me to stop waiting and get moving, to stop being discouraged and start being hopeful, to get excited again about the work I want to do.

            Now I am back in the process of creating a comprehensive plan for finding potential schools and programs, identifying and initiating contacts with key people at these institutions, preparing job search documents, and establishing my professional reputation through publications and presentations. The circumstances within which I am working on all these projects are not ideal, but then circumstances rarely are. The point is to keep moving forward in spite of setbacks and complications. This perspective carried me through a six-year doctoral program, and I am confident that it will bring me to a satisfying teaching career as well.

            Footnote: As part of my career development plan, I have joined the first cohort of The Academii, and this online mentorship is giving me great inspiration, support, and guidance!