The Ravens scored a season-low 13 points on 17 percent shooting in the second half and trailed 28-13. However, the Ravens responded with a season-high 54 points in the second half on 58 percent shooting, but fell just short of a comeback win.

AU took a 51-48 lead with just over five minutes left, but back-to-back 3-pointers by Hanover gave the guests back and they never relinquished the lead the rest of the way.

Brock Morrison led the Ravens with 19 points and a career-high 19 rebounds, hitting 6-of-18 field goals and all four of his free throws, including three 3-pointers. The senior also had four assists, three steals and a block in 36 minutes.

Andrew Bowman scored a game-high 20 points to go with six rebounds and three assists, making 6-of-10 field goals. Jake Browne added 12 points and seven rebounds on 6-of-7 shooting and HCAC scoring leader Phil Hogan chipped in with 10 points on 3-of-13 field goals.

AU outrebounded Hanover 38-29, including 18-10 on the offensive glass. The Ravens had the advantage in points in the paint (34-26), turnovers (14-16), points off turnovers (17-16), second chance points (21-8), assists (15-13) and steals (10-9).

AU (12-10, 8-7 HCAC) hosts Franklin on Saturday at 3 p.m. The Ravens lead the Grizzlies and Manchester by one game for the sixth and final spot in the post-season tournament with three games remaining.

Hannah Wickard led the Ravens with 13 points and six rebounds, hitting 4-of-6 field goals and 5-of-6 free throws.

Melissa Stachovic had eight points, two assists and Jenna Wittenberg had seven points, five rebounds and four steals off the bench. Amy and Ashley Wuestefeld added six points each and Nyomi Defiel chipped in with six points off the bench.

AU shot 35 percent from the field while Hanover was at 44 percent shooting.  The Panthers had a 37-34 advantage on the boards, including 14-10 on the offensive glass.

Hanover also had the edge in points in the paint (34-14), turnovers (19-30), points off turnovers (31-11), assists (20-11) and steals (14-9) while the Ravens had the lead in second chance points (8-5).

AU (8-14, 5-10 HCAC) hosts Franklin on Saturday at 1 p.m.

A modern example in business can exist with group insurance in the form of self-funded health care offered by an organization. In the self-funded model, the employer offers insurance to the employees, employs a third-party provider to process claims and payments, and pays the expenses from the pool of collected premiums. There are some other expenses that get tossed into the mix (insurance to make sure you’re not wiped out by one catastrophic claim, etc.). Typically each employee in the organization, in addition to paying their health insurance premium, has a high deductible account that requires them to pay a large amount out of their pocket before they reach their annual maximum ($5,000, $10,000 or more even). It is once that magic “annual maximum out of pocket expense” is reached that the commons tragedy can occur.

To illustrate, imagine this fabricated scenario: John pays $400 a month for family health insurance coverage in his employer’s self-funded plan. He has a $5,000 annual deductible that must be paid out of pocket before “maxing” out. Once maxed out, the health insurance pays 100% of his health costs for the remainder of the year. Normally, John has a strong incentive (saving his own money) to shop around and find the cheapest (yet dependable) health services he can. He goes to the doctor only when absolutely necessary, and his prudence financially benefits his employer by not causing them to have to pay expenses from their pool of collected funds.

In January of a particular year, though, something goes awry with John and he needs surgery. Almost overnight, literally and figuratively, his $5,000 is spent and he maxes out for the year. For the next 11 months, there is suddenly no self-interest incentive for him to save any money at all. Why should John shop around? Why should he delay when there is a sniffle coming on? What reason is there for him to fill a prescription with a generic when the doctor recommends a name brand? If the employer has a number of John’s in a given year, they can deplete the health fund pool fulfilling the tragedy of the commons.

Two alternatives exist. The first is for the employer to charge every employee more for their premium than they really need and build the fund larger than could ever be required. The second is to make sure John always has a self interest in the choices he makes: instead of maxing out at the deductible, the plan now pays 90 percent of his expenses instead of 100 percent. This solution still allows for choice yet never allows a situation to occur in which there is no cost to those choices; eliminating the possibility of a tragedy of the commons scenario.
Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,600 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2011, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the eighth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing, and theology. Falls School of Business is one of Anderson University’s largest academic departments offering eight undergraduate majors as well as MBA and DBA programs. The school is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) and is a member of the Christian Business Faculty Association (CBFA).

Columns from Anderson University’s Falls School of Business are published Tuesdays in The Herald Bulletin. Tuesday’s columnist is Emmett Dulaney, who teaches marketing and entrepreneurship.

But after 24 years at what is now known as Pay Less grocery, Cross said he knew it was time for a change. He turned in his two weeks’ notice and registered to go back to school, initially to study computer science.

His boss, family and friends thought he was crazy for quitting a well-established career, but Cross thought there was something better out there for him. And he wanted to set a good example for his children — now 17 and 24 — by going to college.

Two years into school and after working a “desk job” during that time, Cross knew computer science wasn’t for him.

“I always wanted to be a doctor so I thought, ‘I should be a nurse,’” he said. “I always have liked helping people and making people feel better. Nursing was the right fit.”

Cross graduated from Anderson University with a bachelor’s degree in nursing and has been working as a registered nurse. He began at Community Hospital Anderson while still in school as a nursing student and continues to work for the hospital. After several years as a medical/surgical nurse, Cross began working on the cardiac interventions unit about six months ago.

“It is definitely rewarding,” he said. “I love what I do. And the great thing about nursing is that you could be doing one thing today and then tomorrow do 10 different things with the same license.”

In addition to his work at Community, Cross is an adjunct instructor, teaching nursing at Ivy Tech. A number of his students are “non-traditional” like he was and are turning to nursing as a second career.

“There are so many opportunities,” he said. “And the money and benefits are good. And I have more time with my family.”

Beth Tharp, vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer at Community, has been a nurse for 30 years. She’s noticed an increase in people turning to nursing as a second career.

“There are so many opportunities in nursing beyond just working in the hospital,” Tharp said. “Nurses play a really important role not only in patient care, but they are also becoming more and more involved in public policy making and helping shape what health care is going to look like in the future.”

Opportunities include work at a hospital, a doctor’s office, insurance companies or teaching, among others. And the levels of nursing are just as diverse, such as licensed practical nurses, registered nurses or nurse anesthetists.

Nancy Pitcock, chief nursing officer at Saint John’s Medical Center, said she, too, has noticed more “non-traditional” nursing students applying for the hospital’s summer nursing technician internship program.

There are a number of factors that are leading to an increase of people turning to nursing as a career, even after they have established themselves in another job. Nursing, Pitcock pointed out, is a stable career as there will always be a need for nurses. Also, the flexible schedule and good wages are enticing.

Pitcock said universities are also making the transition to nursing easier with flexible scheduling and online classes to work around a student’s current work schedule.

“It’s a wonderful career,” she said. “The ability to care for others is vital to me. There is constant growth — both personal and professional growth. You never get bored.”

—Abbey Doyle is a reporter for The Herald Bulletin. Photo credit: John P. Cleary. Story republished with permission.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,600 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson University continues to be recognized as one of America’s top colleges by U.S. News and World Report, The Princeton Review, and Forbes. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing, and theology.

The victory was the 100th in his career for AU head coach Tom Slyder, who now has an overall record of 100-82 in seven seasons in Anderson.

“I’m just glad to get the win the way it played out,” said Slyder. “I have three guys that have been a big part of a lot of those wins and that’s the result of hard work. They bought into the vision that we set for them.”

Andrew Bowman led the Ravens with 21 points and six rebounds, hitting 5-of-9 field goals and 11-of-12 free throws.

Brock Morrison had 16 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and Phil Hogan added 13 points – all in the first half.

Jason Riley was also in double figures with 12 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals, hitting 6-of-9 field goals.

“Bowman came up big,” said Slyder. “This is the third game in a row that one of the big three didn’t score and it was a team victory by playing defense.”

AU shot 55 percent from the field, including 64 in the first half when it led 40-25. Bluffton finished at 42 percent shooting, including 33 in the first half.

The Ravens won the battle of the boards 29-25, but the Beavers had a 9-5 edge on the offensive glass.

AU also had the lead in points in the paint (38-34) and steals (9-5) while Bluffton had the advantage in assists (12-11), turnovers (13-15), points off turnovers (18-16), and second chance points (15-6).

AU led by 15 early in the second half, but Bluffton used a 21-11 run to cut the lead to 55-54 with just under 10 minutes left in the game.

Neither team led by more than four points over the final 10 minutes and it was tied at 63 and 65 with three minutes remaining.

AU took the lead for good on a pair of free throws by Bowman, who scored the final seven Raven points in the game. The senior gave the visitors a 70-67 lead with another free throw in the final 10 seconds and blocked a 3-pointer on the previous Bluffton possession.

The Beavers’ final 3-pointer to tie bounced off the rim, giving the Ravens their fourth straight conference victory.

“We continue to build in the conference and that is three wins in a row on the road,” said Slyder.

AU (12-9, 8-6 HCAC) hosts Hanover on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,600 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson University continues to be recognized as one of America’s top colleges by U.S. News and World Report, The Princeton Review, and Forbes. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing, and theology.

With tears and laughter, Claiborne unveils the tragic messes we’ve made of our world and the tangible hope that another world is possible. He is a world renowned speaker and author that examines the topics of peacemaking, social justice, and Jesus. He graduated from Eastern University and went on to do graduate work at Princeton Theological Seminary. Claiborne comes from a diverse ministry background having served briefly alongside Mother Teresa in Calcutta, serving for a year at Willow Creek Community Church outside Chicago, and spending three weeks in Baghdad with the Iraq Peace Team. He went on to found The Simple Way, a faith community in inner city Philadelphia that helped to birth and connect radical faith communities around the world.

He has authored several books including Jesus For President, The Irresistible Revolution, and Becoming the Answer to Our Prayers, and was featured in the DVD series Another World Is Possible. Claiborne travels extensively around the country and the globe speaking at conferences and festivals, and presenting academic seminars at schools including Harvard University, Vanderbilt University, Goshen College, and many others. His work has been featured on a wide variety of media outlets including CNN, Fox News, Wall Street Journal, and National Public Radio.

Impact Your World Week services will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday and Thursday and from 5:30-7 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday in Reardon Auditorium.

— Katie Price is a senior from Kokomo, Ind., majoring in fine arts and minoring in public relations. Price is writing on behalf of the Anderson University Office of University Communications.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,600 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson University continues to be recognized as one of America’s top colleges by U.S. News and World Report, The Princeton Review, and Forbes. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing, and theology.

The victory was the 100th in his career for AU head coach Tom Slyder, who now has an overall record of 100-82 in seven seasons in Anderson.

“I’m just glad to get the win the way it played out,” said Slyder. “I have three guys that have been a big part of a lot of those wins and that’s the result of hard work. They bought into the vision that we set for them.”

Andrew Bowman led the Ravens with 21 points and six rebounds, hitting 5-of-9 field goals and 11-of-12 free throws.

Brock Morrison had 16 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and Phil Hogan added 13 points – all in the first half.

Jason Riley was also in double figures with 12 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals, hitting 6-of-9 field goals.

“Bowman came up big,” said Slyder. “This is the third game in a row that one of the big three didn’t score and it was a team victory by playing defense.”

AU shot 55 percent from the field, including 64 in the first half when it led 40-25. Bluffton finished at 42 percent shooting, including 33 in the first half.

The Ravens won the battle of the boards 29-25, but the Beavers had a 9-5 edge on the offensive glass.

AU also had the lead in points in the paint (38-34) and steals (9-5) while Bluffton had the advantage in assists (12-11), turnovers (13-15), points off turnovers (18-16) and second chance points (15-6).

AU led by 15 early in the second half, but Bluffton used a 21-11 run to cut the lead to 55-54 with just under 10 minutes left in the game.

Neither team led by more than four points over the final 10 minutes and it was tied at 63 and 65 with three minutes remaining.

AU took the lead for good on a pair of free throws by Bowman, who scored the final seven Raven points in the game. The senior gave the visitors a 70-67 lead with another free throw in the final 10 seconds and blocked a 3-pointer on the previous Bluffton possession.

The Beavers final 3-pointer to tie bounced off the rim, giving the Ravens their fourth straight conference victory.

“We continue to build in the conference and that is three wins in a row on the road,” said Slyder.

AU (12-9, 8-6 HCAC) hosts Hanover on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

Jenna Wittenberg led the Ravens with 16 points, four rebounds, two assists and three steals, hitting 7-of-9 field goals, including a 3-pointer.

Amy Wuestefeld was also in double figures with 12 points and four rebounds, hitting 6-of-16 field goals. Ashley Wuestefeld added seven points, three rebounds, two assists and Nyomi Defiel chipped in with four points and four blocks.

AU shot 43 percent from the field, including 56 in the first half when they trailed 32-30. Bluffton finished at 46 percent shooting, including 4-of-15 from 3-point range.

The Beavers had a 33-25 advantage on the boards, including 11-9 on the offensive glass. AU had the edge in points in the paint (36-30) and bench scoring (30-11), but Bluffton had the lead in assists (17-13), turnovers (15-16) and second chance points (11-9).

AU (8-13, 5-9 HCAC) travels to Hanover on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

Manchester won the meet with 187 points, followed by Anderson (106), Earlham (80), Hanover (77) and Transylvania (34).

Tony Johnson (60 meters, 7.04), Marc St. Amour (1,000 meters, 2:41.63) and Max Kittle (60 hurdles, 8.73) each won an individual event for the Ravens and Johnson was second in the 200 meters.

The Ravens 1,600 meter (3:30.07) and distance medley relay (10:55.03) teams were also victorious while the 800 relay team was second in a time of 1:36.89.

AU hosts the Raven Indoor Invitational next Saturday in the Kardatzke Wellness Center at 3 p.m.

AU finishers

60 meters – 1. Tony Johnson, 7.04; 4. Kyle Vergon, 7.34; 10. Chazz Millman, 7.55; 11. Ryan Mote, 7.59; 15. Leslie Rowley, 7.67; 19. Tyrone Hines, 7.79; 20. Jeremy Martin, 7.97.

200 meters – 2. Tony Johnson, 24.42; 4. Chazz Millman, 24.54; 11. Wayne Wineglass, 25.23; 13. Leslie Rowley, 25.44; 19. Tyrone Hines, 26.17; 21. Jeremy Martin, 27.16; 22. Brody Tunis, 27.26.

400 meters – 5. Wayne Wineglass, 54.73.

800 meters – 4. Matt St. Amour, 2:05.34; 5. Emby Duncan, 2:06.88; 9. Logan Wilhelm, 2:08.50; 11. Patrick Smith, 2:09.58.

1,000 meters – 1. Marc St. Amour, 2:41.63; 3. Chaven Davidson, 2:45.49.

5,000 meters – 6. Jeremiah Stichter, 17:39.51.

60 Hurdles – 1. Max Kittle, 8.73; 3. Brad McNeil, 9.05; 4. Jack Hill, 9.07.

Mile – 4. Matt St. Amour, 4:37.14; 6. Eric Linn, 4:44.17; 9. Patrick Smith, 4:50.74.

800 relay – 2. Anderson, 1:36.89.

1,600 relay – 1. Anderson, 3:30.07.

DMR – 1. Anderson, 10:55.03.

SP – 5. Hunter Prol, 37-1 3/4; 8. Steven Wingler, 35-3; 10. DeTarance Harvey, 33-9 1/2.

HJ – 5. Brody Tunis, 5-6.

LJ – 4. Leslie Rowley, 19-1 1/2; 8. Ryan Mote, 17-4 3/4; 10. Brody Tunis, 16-0 1/4.

Weight – 5. DeTarance Harvey, 37-5 1/4; 10. Steven Wingler, 32-3 3/4.

For complete meet results go to the 2012 Schedule/Results page

Hanover won the meet with 194 points, followed by Anderson (102), Manchester (99), Earlham (64) and Transylvania (35).

Alex Friske led the Ravens with a pair of victories in the 200 meters (27.68) and 60 hurdles (9.26).

Heather Quinlan (800, 2:29.42) and Emily Radke (SP, 39-7 1/4) also won individual events for the Ravens.

AU hosts the Raven Indoor Invitational next Saturday in the Kardatzke Wellness Center at 3 p.m.

AU results

60 meters – 5. Mikyla Houston, 8.81.

200 meters – 1. Alex Friske, 27.68; 7. Mikyla Houston, 29.68.

400 meters – 4. Alisha Sink, 1:10.84; 5. Marissa Goodwin, 1:12.36.

800 meters – 1. Heather Quinlan, 2:29.42; 8. Nacole Hamilton, 2:44.86.

1,000 meters – 4. Desiree Maran, 3:41.79; Julianne Marron, 3:49.16.

Mile – 2. Candace DeLong, 5:32.60.

60 Hurdles – 1. Alex Friske, 9.26.

800 relay – 3. Anderson, 2:01.13

1,600 relay – 2. Anderson, 4:24.89.

DMR – 4. Anderson, 14:46.71.

LJ – 5. Marissa Goodwin, 14-0 1/4.

SP – 1. Emily Radke, 39-7 1/4; 4. Amanda Spear, 31-4 1/2; 9. Shantol McMahon, 25-11 1/2.

PV – 3. Destynne Moore, 7-8 1/2; 6. Shan Grosenbacher, 7-2 1/2.

Weight – 3. Emily Radke, 39-8 1/2; 5. Amanda Spear, 34-1 1/4; 6. Shantol McMahon, 30-9 1/4.

For complete meet results go to the 2012 Schedule/Results page

The free program is designed to assist Indiana students seeking undergraduate admission to a college or technical school in 2012 in filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is required for students to be considered for federal and state grants, loans, and scholarships at most colleges, universities, and vocational/technical schools nationwide and must be filed by March 10 to be eligible for state aid. Completing this required form correctly and by the deadline is sometimes perceived to be complicated and time consuming. In one afternoon at College Goal Sunday, students and their families can get free help and file the form online.

Now in its 23rd year, College Goal Sunday, a charitable program of the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association (ISFAA), has helped more than 87,000 Indiana students and families complete the FAFSA properly and on time, opening the door to financial aid for college.

What students should bring
To make filing the FAFSA easier, volunteers walk through the form line-by-line and answer families’ individual questions. All sites offer FAFSA online capabilities and many have Spanish interpreters. A complete list of sites is available at www.CollegeGoalSunday.org.

Students should attend College Goal Sunday with their parent(s) or guardian(s) and bring their parents’ completed 2011 IRS 1040 tax returns, W-2 Forms and other 2011 income and benefits information. Students who worked last year, should bring their income information. Students 24 years of age or older may attend alone and bring their own completed 2011 IRS 1040 tax return, W-2 Form or other 2011 income and benefits information. Students and parents may apply for their U.S. Department of Education Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) at www.pin.ed.gov before coming to the event.

Program assists all students
“Nearly half of Indiana’s college students qualify for financial aid from the State of Indiana,” said Donette Cassman, Sallie Mae, Inc., chairman of College Goal Sunday. “College Goal Sunday helps students and families better understand the financial aid process and brings students one step closer to fulfilling their educational goals.”

According to the State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana (SSACI), programs like College Goal Sunday are reaching first-generation college students. In addition, according to SSACI statistics, in recent years, more single-parent Hoosier families have filed for financial aid, indicating programs like College Goal Sunday are reaching high-risk students and their families.

“Financial aid professionals have seen firsthand the disappointment of students who don’t complete their financial aid paperwork properly,” said Cassman. “That’s why the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association continues to provide College Goal Sunday. If our assistance gives students a better chance at higher education, we’re fulfilling our mission.”

Attendees may win educational prizes
Students who attend any of the College Goal Sunday sites and submit a completed evaluation form will automatically be entered in a drawing for an educational prize. Winners will be notified in March; prizes will be sent directly to the higher education institutions selected by the winning students.

Twenty-first Century Scholars benefit
Twenty-first Century Scholars are income-eligible students who sign a contract in the seventh or eighth grade promising they will graduate from high school with a minimum of 2.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale, refrain from using drugs and alcohol, and apply for college financial aid. Upon high school graduation, Scholars who have fulfilled the commitment receive state funds to help cover their college tuition and fees for eight semesters at eligible Indiana colleges. To fulfill their pledge, scholars must submit a completed FAFSA form on time. College Goal Sunday can help.

Program is a national model
College Goal Sunday has more than tripled its reach, from 10 sites statewide in its first year to 40 sites currently, and it has become a national model to other College Goal Sunday programs. In addition to Indiana, College Goal Sunday now takes place in more than 35 other states.

Helpline open during Financial Aid Awareness Month
ISFAA’s College Goal Sunday is one of the highlights of Financial Aid Awareness Month. In February, students and their families can call the Learn More Resource Center helpline at (800) 992-2076 and have their questions answered by financial aid professionals. The Indiana Commission for Higher Education supports the helpline.

For more information about College Goal Sunday or Financial Aid Awareness Month, call the helpline at (800) 992-2076 or visit www.CollegeGoalSunday.org.

College Goal Sunday, sponsored by ISFAA, is offered in cooperation with Learn More Resource Center, the State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana, and The Twenty-first Century Scholars Program. It is funded by Lilly Endowment, Inc., Lumina Foundation for Education, USA Funds, and Indiana Secondary Market for Education Loans, Inc.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,600 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson University continues to be recognized as one of America’s top colleges by U.S. News and World Report, The Princeton Review, and Forbes. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing, and theology.

HCAC Player of the Week Phil Hogan led the Ravens with a game-high 26 points and four rebounds, hitting 10-of-16 shots and all four of his free throws, including a pair of 3-pointers.

Andrew Bowman was also in double figures with 10 points, three rebounds and Jason Riley added nine points and four assists. Jake Browne chipped in with seven points, 10 rebounds. Leading scorer Brock Morrison was held to a season-low three points and six rebounds.

AU shot 48 percent from the field and 10-of-11 from the free throw line. Rose-Hulman finished at 39 percent shooting, including 5-of-6 at the charity stripe. Both teams had four 3-pointers made.

The Ravens had a 30-28 advantage on the boards, but the Engineers had the edge in offensive rebounds (6-3). Rose-Hulman had the lead in points in the paint (30-28), assists (11-8) and steals (7-3) while AU had the advantage in points off turnovers (9-6) and second chance points (7-6).

AU (11-9, 7-6 HCAC) travels to Bluffton on Saturday at 1 p.m.

The Ravens also defeated the Engineers in Terre Haute earlier in the year 51-49 to sweep the season series.

Amy Wuestefeld led the Ravens with 10 points, three rebounds, two assists and five steals, hitting 4-of-9 field goals, including two 3-pointers.

Jenna Wittenberg had eight points, three rebounds, two assists off the bench and Kate Barwick had eight points, three rebounds, three blocks and three steals.

Melissa Stachovic had seven points, three steals and Ashley Wuestefeld added six points and three assists. Brittany Stafford chipped in with three points, four rebounds, five assists, two steals and Nyomi Defiel had three points, four rebounds and three blocks.

AU shot 37 percent from the field, including a season-high 10-of-16 from 3-point range. Rose-Hulman finished at 41 percent shooting, but only 1-of-4 from behind the arc.

The Ravens forced the Engineers into 31 turnovers, resulting in a 23-12 advantage in points off turnovers. AU also had the edge in assists (14-10), blocks (6-2) and steals (16-10) while Rose-Hulman had the lead in rebounds (34-19), points in the paint (22-10) and second chance points (5-2).

AU (8-12, 5-8 HCAC) travels to Bluffton on Saturday at 3 p.m.

That was not the case when I was growing up. My mother made one meat dish and one potato dish for every dinner. There would also be a salad of some type ­— some things that looked pretty questionable got lumped into this category — and a minimum of two sides. It was like eating at Cracker Barrel every evening.

The part of the supper that I looked forward to the most, though, came when that food was finished. My father insisted that we have dessert for every meal and that there not be leftovers. Every day, therefore, my mother would bake one of about a dozen desserts that she rotated. When you’re baking every day and doing the same thing over and over again, you tend to get very good at it, and she got exceptional at making desserts.

You might not think you can do that much with chocolate chip cookies since everyone tends to start with some derivative of the Nestlé Tollhouse recipe, but it is actually surprising the results you can get. For example, she would use two baking sheets together ­— one on top of another — so that air was trapped between them and the bottom would not cook as much as the rest of the cookie. This allows the cookies to still be golden brown on all but the bottom, yet be moist and not dry. She would also use more vanilla extract than others do ­—doubling it, in fact — because it serves to pull out the flavor of the other ingredients. Lastly, she would mix in other forms of chocolate in addition to the full helping of chips just to add to the flavor.

No matter how well I describe the cookies, the history behind them, the recipe used, or anything else, it will never do justice to the taste of biting into one. You cannot appreciate the information about the cookie without doing so. The problem with a lot of business education is that it lacks the taste of the cookie. Students hear about how various aspects of business fit together, they learn the history behind it, they complete worksheets and take quizzes, but they can’t fully appreciate that of which they are learning without experiencing it.

Parker Palmer has written about experiential education for many years and his latest book, “The Heart of Higher Education,” (co-authored by Arthur Zajonc) continues in that vein. This book served as one of the inspirations for the Killbuck Trails venture last semester in which approximately 20 students ran a family fun park and haunted trail at Killbuck Golf Course.

In an effort to continue to find ways for students to get a taste of business and appreciate what they don’t know while there is still time to resolve it, a similar business endeavor will be undertaken this semester. While it will not involve a golf course (too difficult to do in the winter months) or haunted trail (which loses its appeal after Halloween), it will marry the fundamentals of experiential learning with involvement in the community. I look forward to sharing more details in a few weeks.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,600 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2011, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the eighth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing, and theology. Falls School of Business is one of Anderson University’s largest academic departments offering eight undergraduate majors as well as MBA and DBA programs. The school is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) and is a member of the Christian Business Faculty Association (CBFA).

Columns from Anderson University’s Falls School of Business are published Tuesdays in The Herald Bulletin. Tuesday’s columnist is Emmett Dulaney, who teaches marketing and entrepreneurship.

Blankenship, along with recent grad Stefanie Vinsel and senior Andrew Stuart, are working as production assistants for the Super Bowl edition of NBC’s “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” at Hilbert Circle Theatre in Indianapolis. The show airs locally at 12:35 a.m.

Junior audio, video and cinema production major Patience Randle will also be involved in Super Bowl activities as a production assistant for MidAmerica Jibworks. [Photo on left: Josh Blankenship and Andrew Stuart talk about their roles with NBC's "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon." Both are working as production assistants for the Super Bowl XLVI edition of the show.]

Blankenship, who graduated in December with a degree in broadcast production, started Sunday and will be working up until the Super Bowl game on Feb. 5. There will be a live show after the Super Bowl, he said.

“I’m a little bit nervous,” he said last week as he was getting prepared, “but think I’ll be fine once I get into the swing of things.”

Blankenship was actually supposed to start Monday, but got a last minute call to start Sunday instead. He said he was ready.

He’s been helping out with errands and assisting stage managers to make sure they have everything they need.

The assistants’ work can range from standing in for people to fetching coffee, and involves working from eight to 16 hour days, he said.

Blankenship doesn’t mind the long hours, though.

“I think it just comes with the territory,” he said. “Being there until the job’s done.”

Plus, working with Covenant Productions^® and on class projects during his time at AU, along with an internship with WTHR over the summer, he’s already had to work long days.

“I love it more than I hate it,” he said.

Blankenship worked a 13-hour day Monday and expected to have another long one Tuesday.

So far, he said he’s enjoyed seeing professionals come and work together to get everything up and running.

“It’s going great,” he said. “It’s been a lot of fun. I’ve met quite a few interesting people.”

While he’s a fan of Fallon’s show, Blankenship said his favorite part is just being there and being a part of the production.

Andrew Stuart, a senior audio, video and cinema production major, said he was looking forward to the experience and meeting professionals, although he added he really had never seen the late night show.

“It’s a nice change of pace really,” he said. “It’s cool to have something like that in Indy and be a part of it.”

Stuart said they were told to “expect a lot of different things.”

“They just told us to have an open mind and be ready,” he said.

To help with nerves, he said he’s just going to treat it like any other job and do his best to contribute good work.

“Any experience at any level is great,” he said. “On this level, it’s top notch.”

Stuart was to work Monday and today, balancing the job with his school schedule.

As will Patience Randle, who will be in Indianapolis through Thursday, working for pre-game activities and events.

She had been a camera operator and helped with some crane and camera work during AU’s “Candles and Carols.” She gave her contact information to a guy from the company and later got a call about helping out with Super Bowl activities.

“I was really surprised,” she said. “That wasn’t my goal. I had just helped him.”

She said people in the business appreciate hard work and that she’s willing to do.

“It’s a big deal for me just as far as being able to have the opportunity,” she said.

[Update: Other Anderson University alumni working on Super Bowl coverage include David Neidert BA '07 and Luke Renner BA '98, both working with the NFL Network; and Samuel McDonough BA '03, working with Puls4, an Austrian NFL affiliate.]

—Dani Palmer is a reporter for The Herald Bulletin. Story republished with permission.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,600 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson University continues to be recognized as one of America’s top colleges by U.S. News and World Report, The Princeton Review, and Forbes. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing, and theology.

Around my house, nachos and cheese counts as a two-course meal.

That was not the case when I was growing up. My mother made one meat dish and one potato dish for every dinner. There would also be a salad of some type — some things that looked pretty questionable got lumped into this category — and a minimum of two sides. It was like eating at Cracker Barrel every evening.

The part of the supper that I looked forward to the most, though, came when that food was finished. My father insisted that we have dessert for every meal and that there not be leftovers. Every day, therefore, my mother would bake one of about a dozen desserts that she rotated through. When you’re baking every day and doing the same thing over and over again, you tend to get very good at it and she got exceptional at making desserts.

You might not think you can do that much with chocolate chip cookies since everyone tends to start with some derivative of the Nestle Tollhouse recipe, but it is actually surprising the results you can get. For example, she would use two baking sheets together — one on top of another — so that air was trapped between them and the bottom would not cook as much as the rest of the cookie. This allows the cookies to still be golden brown on all but the bottom yet be moist and not dry. She would also use more vanilla extract than others do — doubling it in fact — since it serves to pull out the flavor of the other ingredients. Lastly, she would mix in other forms of chocolate in addition to the full helping of chips just to add to the flavor.

No matter how well I describe the cookies, the history behind them, the recipe used, or anything else, it will never do justice to the taste of biting in to one and you cannot appreciate the information about the cookie without doing so. The problem with a lot of business education is that it lacks the taste of the cookie. Students hear about how various aspects of business fit together, they learn the history behind it, they complete worksheets and take quizzes, but they can’t fully appreciate that of which they are learning without experiencing it.

Parker Palmer has written about experiential education for many years and his latest book, The Heart of Higher Education (co-authored by Arthur Zajonc) continues in that vein. This book served as one of the inspirations for the Killbuck Trails venture last semester in which approximately 20 students ran a family fun park and haunted trail at Killbuck Golf Course.

In an effort to continue to find ways for students to get a taste of business and appreciate what they don’t know while there is still time to resolve it, a similar business endeavor will be undertaken this semester. While it will not involve a golf course (too difficult to do in the winter months) or haunted trail (which loses its appeal after Halloween), it will marry the fundamentals of experiential learning with involvement in the community and I look forward to sharing more details in a few weeks.

Visit the Falls School of Business for additional essays and news from the Anderson University Falls School of Business.

— Dr. Emmett Dulaney is associate professor of marketing at the Anderson University Falls School of Business.

Voices from the Valley is a venue for members of the Anderson University community to share unique perspectives on topics for which they are qualified to speak. For more information, contact the Office of University Communications.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,600 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson University continues to be recognized as one of America’s top colleges by U.S. News and World Report, The Princeton Review, and Forbes. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing, and theology.

Defending champion Earlham was picked to finish first with a perfect 100 points and all 10 first-place votes. The Quakers were followed by Transylvania (90), Rose-Hulman (71), Hanover (66), Anderson (64), Franklin (52), Mt. St. Joseph (37), Manchester (30), Defiance (29) and Bluffton (11).

AU opens the 2012 season at home against Transylvania on Mar. 31 at 10 am..

The junior led the Ravens to a pair of victories last week, averaging 20.5 points, three rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals. He had 23 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals against Defiance and added 18 points, two rebounds and two assists vs. Earlham on Saturday.

For the week, he shot 59 percent from the field, 80 percent from 3-point range and 1,000 from the free throw line. Hogan leads the HCAC in scoring this season at 21.2 points per game.

AU (10-9,, 6-6 HCAC) travels to Rose-Hulman on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

The two teams both sport red and blue colors.

And that meant she could design her hand-warming muff, known as Z-Muff, using two basic shades.

“I was biting my nails waiting to see which teams were going to be in the Super Bowl,” said Dobrikova, 28, of Anderson.

After Sunday’s playoff games, she began sewing game-related muffs — made-in-America long-hair shag fabric — and has 200 for sale.

She is offering Z-Muffs through her website and is working to distribute the red, blue or red-and-blue muffs in Indianapolis during Super Bowl week.

She just received a U.S. patent for her Z-Muff this week. Dobrikova’s design differs from most hand muffs in that it has a pocket for each hand. Usually, hands touch in muffs.

“The hands don’t touch inside. There’s a faux fur lining,” she said. “There’s a benefit in having the hands separated. When they touch, they sweat together, and you take your hand out and they’re colder because they’re wet. Having the pockets insulated keeps the hands warm.”

She came up with the concept while a student at Anderson University. She offered them at the annual homecoming fair and sold out. She then competed for a $15,000 prize in the 2006 INvision AU business competition and won. The prize money allowed her to seek a patent.

She is married and the mother of two.

The big game-related Z-Muffs are $30 each and two for $50. They can be purchased through the website.

—For The Herald Bulletin. Photo credit: John P. Cleary. Story republished with permission.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,600 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson University continues to be recognized as one of America’s top colleges by U.S. News and World Report, The Princeton Review, and Forbes. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing, and theology.

The victory was the 1,000th in school history and the Ravens have an overall record of 1,000-967 for a winning percentage of .508 in 80 seasons. AU went 9-6 in its first season of college basketball in 1930-31. They have had 39 winning seasons, including a school best 26-4 in 1960-61.

Against Earlham, Phil Hogan led the Ravens with 18 points, two rebounds and two assists, hitting 7-of-12 field goals, including a pair of 3-pointers.

Brock Morrison had 17 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals, making 5-of-8 field goals – all in the first half.

Jake Browne added 14 points, seven rebounds and Jason Riley was also in double figures with 10 points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals.

Andrew Larrick chipped in with six points and four rebounds off the bench.

AU shot 58 percent from the field, including 60 in the first half when it led 45-28. Earlham finished at 37 percent shooting from the field.

The Ravens had a 38-23 advantage on the boards, including 11-7 on the offensive glass.

AU also had the edge in points in the paint (42-12), assists (18-11), turnovers (13-14), points off turnovers (14-7), second chance points (17-10) and steals (11-5).

AU (10-9, 6-6 HCAC) travels to Rose-Hulman on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

Amy Wuestefeld and Ashley Wuestefeld both had career-highs in the game as they combined for 41 points and eight assists.

Amy finished with a game-high 23 points, two rebounds, five assists and two steals, hitting 8-of-14 field goals and all five of her free throws.

Ashley had 18 points and three assists, making 5-of-9 field goals and 5-of-10 free throws, including three 3-pointers.

Jenna Wittenburg also reached double figures with 10 points, three rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Kate Barwick added eight points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals and Hannah Wickard chipped in with eight points and four rebounds. Brittany Staford added three points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals off the bench.

AU shot 59 percent from the field, including 9-of-15 from 3-point range and 18-of-24 from the free throw line. Earlham finished at 46 percent shooting, including 5-of-10 from behind the arc and 22-of-26 from the charity stripe.

The Ravens had a 30-20 advantage on the boards, including 8-5 on the offensive glass. AU also had the edge in points in the paint (24-16), assists (21-12), second chance points (9-0) and blocks (4-2) while the Quakers had the lead in turnnovers (18-24) and steals (12-11).

AU (7-12, 4-8 HCAC) hosts Rose-Hulman on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

Tony Johnson led the Ravens with a third-place finish in the 60 meters in a time of 7:03.21. Johnson won the preliminary race in 7.05 and also finished ninth in the 200 meters in a time of 23.76.

Other top five finishers for the Ravens were Matt St. Amour (3rd, 16:21.11), Marc St. Amour (4th, 16:22.54) and Erin Linn (5th, 16:31.29) in the 5,000 meter race.

The Ravens host the AU Indoor Invitational in the Kardatzke Wellness Center on Saturday at 3 p.m.

AU finishers

60 meters – 3. Tony Johnson, 7.03; 21. Kyle Vergon, 7.43; 27. Chazz Millman, 7.55; 31. Ryan Mote, 7.61; 34. Lesley Rowley, 7.77; 36. Tyrone Hines, 7.90; 38. Jeremy Martin, 8.04

200 meters – 9. Johnson, 23.76; 14. Vergon, 23.96; 15. Brad McNeil, 23.98; 18. Max Kittle, 24.20; 21. Jack Hill, 24.27; 30. Millman, 24.92; 33. Mote, 25.01; 41. Rowley, 25.99; 43. Hines, 26.45

600 meters – 11. Chaven Davidson, 1:30.40; 17. Wayne Wineglass, 1:35.11

Mile – 27. Patrick Smith, 4:59.89

5,000 meters – 3. Matt St. Amour, 16:21.11; 4. Marc St. Amour, 16:22.54; 5. Erin Linn, 16:31.29; 6. Emby Duncan, 16:39.54

60 Hurdles – 6. Kittle, 8.69; 11. Hill, 9.11; 13. McNeil, 9.14

800 relay – 10. Anderson, 1:44.28

SP – 13. Leonard Wells, 13.84; 22. Colton Sewell, 11.87; 26. Steven Wingler, 10.75; 28. Hunter Prol, 10.43; 29. DeTarance Harvey, 9.31

Weight – 20. Harvey, 10.54; 21. Wingler, 9.39; 22. Sewell, 8.96

Complete Meet Results

Candace DeLong led the Ravens with a first-place finish in the 5,000 meters in a time of 18:48.21.

Other top five finishers for the Ravens were Heather Quinlan in the 600 meters (5th, 1:46.27), Nacole Hamilton in the 1,000 meters (3:45.24) and Alex Friske in the 60 meter hurdles (5th, 9.51).

The Ravens host the AU Indoor Invitational in the Kardatzke Wellness Center on Saturday at 3 p.m.

AU finishers

60 meters – 15. Mikyla Houston, 8.77

200 meters – 17. Alex Friske, 28.37, 28. Houston, 30.07; 32. Alisha Sink, 31.31

600 meters – 5. Heather Quinlan, 1:46.27; 14. Julianne Marron, 1:58.03; 16. Marissa Goodwin, 2:05.18

1,000 meters – 5. Nacole Hamilton, 3:45.24; 6. Desiree Maran, 3:50.61

5,000 meters – 1. Candace DeLong, 18:48.21

60 Hurdles – 5. Friske, 9.51

800 relay – 7. Anderson, 1:57.60

SP – 8. Emily Radke, 11.76; 24. Amanda Spear, 9.10; 27. Shantol McMahon, 8.69

Weight – 10. Radke, 12.95; 19. Spear, 11.81

Complete Meet Results

“We are very excited to bring to the Raven football program a young, talented leader in Coach Bobby Ladner, said Dr. James L. Edwards, president of Anderson University. “At first meeting Bobby impressed us as one who understands and is deeply committed to our values and has the energy, intellect, experience, and vision to lead our program to success. We are very excited to welcome him to Anderson University and to Raven football.”

“I’m excited to have Coach Ladner leading our football program,” said Marcie Taylor, director of athletics for Anderson University. “Bobby brings valuable experience and knowledge, along with enthusiasm and a commitment to creating a top-notch football program with an environment that will motivate our student-athletes to excel in the classroom, on the football field, and in their daily lives.”

Prior to working at Olivet Nazarene University, Ladner served as a recruiting coordinator, defensive coordinator, and assistant athletic director at Belhaven University in Jackson, Miss. from 2004-2009. In addition to his extensive coaching duties, Ladner taught wellness and fitness as well as strength and conditioning classes at Olivet Nazarene University.

Ladner has produced 31 All-Conference players during his career as well as three NFL players and Belhaven won a conference championship in 2006. He worked with the Chicago Bears during training camp while at Olivet Nazarene and was the chair of the Belhaven Hall of Fame Committee.

Ladner graduated from Belhaven University in 2003 with a Bachelor of Science degree in sports administration/nutrition. He earned his Master of Arts in management and leadership from Liberty University in 2009.

After being recruited to Louisiana State University as a fullback in high school, Ladner transferred to Belhaven, where he was a four-year letterman on the football team. He was named All-Conference three times (2001-03) as well as All-American Honorable Mention after the 2003 season. He was a team captain as a senior and is the school’s all-time sack leader (36) and second in career tackles (252).

“It truly is a blessing and honor to be chosen to lead the Anderson University Football Program,” said Ladner.  “It is a joy to be associated with an institution that strives to impact lives every day.  My wife, Tori and I are excited for the opportunity to become a part of the Anderson University family.  The Anderson community is a special place with outstanding people and we are thankful to be a part of that.  I would like to thank Dr. Edwards, Dr. Baker, and Marcie Taylor for their leadership and vision for the institution.  I also would like to thank the search committee, our players, coaches and the entire Anderson family for believing in me and giving me this opportunity.”

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,600 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson University continues to be recognized as one of America’s top colleges by U.S. News and World Report, The Princeton Review, and Forbes. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing, and theology.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,600 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2011, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the eighth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing, and theology. Falls School of Business is one of Anderson University’s largest academic departments offering eight undergraduate majors as well as MBA and DBA programs. The school is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) and is a member of the Christian Business Faculty Association (CBFA).

The victory snaps the Ravens five-game losing streak and completes the series sweep of the Yellow Jackets for the season.

Phil Hogan led the Ravens with 23 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals, hitting 9-of-15 field goals, including two 3-pointers.

Andrew Bowman also reached 20 points to go with eight rebounds, two assists and two steals. Brock Morrison added 17 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Jake Browne added five points and eight rebounds off the bench and Jason Riley chipped in with six points and four rebounds.

AU shot 50 percent from the field and 90 percent from the free throw line (18-of-20). Defiance finished at 44 percent shooting, including 39 in the first half when the Ravens led 38-29.

The Ravens won the battle of the boards 45-26, including 18-12 on the offensive glass. AU had the advantage in points in the paint (40-30), second chance points (31-13) and steals (7-6) while Defiance had the edge in assists (18-10), turnovers (9-14), points off turnovers (16-9) and blocks (5-2).

AU (9-9, 5-6 HCAC) travels to Earlham on Saturday at 3 p.m.

Ashley Wuestefeld led the Ravens with 12 points in the game, hitting 5-of-9 field goals, including a pair of 3-pointers.

Amy Wuestefeld added nine points, five rebounds, three steals and Hannah Wickard chipped in with eight points and four rebounds. Mallory Miller and Jenna Wittenberg added six points each off the bench.

Both teams shot 40 percent from the field in the contest and had 12 assists, but the Ravens were 3-of-14 from 3-point range while the Yellow Jackets were 5-of-9 from behind the arc.

AU had the advantage in points in the paint (28-16) and points off turnovers (12-11), but Defiance had the edge in rebounding (34-33), second chance points (12-8), turnovers (17-18) and steals (12-8).

AU (6-12, 3-8 HCAC) travels to Earlham on Saturday at 1 p.m.

It was an October afternoon more than five years ago when AU President James Edwards said the university planned to raise $110 million. Before the announcement was even made, some big donors were already on board.

“These are very challenging times,” Edwards said. “We need to be convinced there are people to make these kinds of gifts.”

The times got even tougher as the recession set in during late 2008. Because of this economic slowdown, the fundraiser was extended beyond its original May 31, 2010, deadline to Dec. 31, 2011. With the extra time, AU went over its expected goal.

As Edwards explained in 2006, “We’re coming to one of those great moments in the life of the university.”

Some of the money has already been used to pay for operational expenses, create scholarships and fund campus construction. The additions are apparent to any visitor to the campus, and they have served the campus and Anderson well. Some of the improvements no doubt were responsible in luring the Colts back to Anderson.

The money came from foundations, organizations and more than 7,000 individuals. The vast majority of the money came from a small set of donors. As Robert Coffman, vice president for advancement and campaign leader, explained, it used to be that 80 percent of the donations came from 20 percent of the donors. Now it’s more like 90-10.

It shows that there is a core of supporters who believe in the school and its mission and want to see it flourish during hard economic times.

Small, private schools are finding it difficult to even stay afloat. There is always competition for students, competition between schools and keeping tuition low enough to attract students but high enough for the university to meet its mission. That’s why having donors and supporters are extremely valuable to a university. It can be the difference between meeting the mission and providing a top-notch education and cutting programs and classes because of tight finances.

Anderson University’s fundraiser shows the school has valuable friends who want the university to excel in all areas of higher education. Congratulations to AU on the fundraiser.

— Editorial published in The Herald Bulletin. Reposted with permission.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,600 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson University continues to be recognized as one of America’s top colleges by U.S. News and World Report, The Princeton Review, and Forbes. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing, and theology.

SIFE forced me to learn new things and think outside of the box. It turned me into a leader and developed my sense of responsibility and initiative. Getting involved was the key though. It didn’t have to be SIFE, it just had to be something that one could get behind and push. That is one of the things I loved about Anderson University, it gives you options and places to succeed. God blessed me that day when I received the acceptance letter to Anderson University. My life wouldn’t be the same.

- Todd Baden, 2010 graduate, Staff Accountant, Capin Crouse LLP

At one point in time, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer browser was the browser to use when on the Web. With market share in the 90 percent range, developers had to make certain that their applications ran in that browser or they risked losing any hope of an audience. While there were a number of alternative browsers available, most were tailored to one niche or another and dismissed by the masses. Microsoft was accused of unfair practices for bundling IE with every operating system and giving it away for free. They persisted in their practice, but made occasional concessions with both the Federal Trade Commission and the European Union.

Firefox came out and a great many lauded it as the Internet Explorer killer. Finally, it was proclaimed, there was a serious contender that worked on every platform and many viewed it as a superior product to IE, allowing it to gain noticeable market share. When Google released its own browser in 2008, named Chrome, many scratched their heads and wondered why the company would waste their time and efforts on such. Proving the naysayers correct, one year later Chrome only managed to obtain less than 5 percent of the market.

In the meantime, American businesses and institutions struggled with the recession. They cut back their IT budgets and made what resources they had last longer than they might in times of expansion. Microsoft had trouble convincing businesses — and even home users — to upgrade desktop operating systems from Windows XP to either Vista or Windows 7. In fact, even though Windows XP is now a decade old, it still amounts to close to 40 percent of the Windows operating systems in use today.

One of the ways Microsoft has tried to encourage purchases of the newer operating systems is by weaning out the support for XP in favor of the newer operating systems. Internet Explorer, for example, can only run through version 8 on Windows XP, while version 9 requires Windows Vista or Windows 7 to install.

So where does the genius come in? During the economic downturn, many found an immediate cost savings by doing away with their in-house email programs in favor of the free, customizable, version provided by Google.

At Anderson University, for example, we — like so many other educational institutions — migrated to a customized version of Gmail branded as RavenMail. This week, I suddenly found that changes to RavenMail meant that I could no longer interact with it using IE 8. Since the institution-issued laptop runs Windows XP, I can’t upgrade to IE 9 and AU will not buy a new operating system for me to be able to access my email. The only suitable alternative is to switch from IE to Chrome: an alternative facing many of those in the 40 percent still using XP.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Chrome is now the second most popular browser in the world and IE’s market share is now down to only 40 percent. Chrome is also the only browser to offer desktop notifications for RavenMail, and a few other features that make it difficult to be without. Genius. Pure genius.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,600 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2011, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the eighth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing, and theology. Falls School of Business is one of Anderson University’s largest academic departments offering eight undergraduate majors as well as MBA and DBA programs. The school is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) and is a member of the Christian Business Faculty Association (CBFA).

Columns from Anderson University’s Falls School of Business are published Tuesdays in The Herald Bulletin. Tuesday’s columnist is Emmett Dulaney, who teaches marketing and entrepreneurship.

Dr. Fox, in particular, was always willing to meet and talk with me about my goals and aspirations. He helped keep me focused on my ultimate desires in life. I took the internship programs very seriously and that is what ultimately landed me my position. I couldn’t be happier and love what I do. I grant wishes for a living! I have been working for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana-Indiana Region as a Senior Wish Program Manager for over 5 years now. [Photo: Emily with husband Andrew, a 2004 AU graduate.]

- Emily (Indie) Foreman, 2005 graduate, Senior Wish Program Manager, Make-a-Wish Foundation

My background at AU has really prepared me for this position. This job has allowed me to stretch my Marketing wings and get to work together on a stellar marketing team that continues to push and grow me. With our tour still being so young my Entrepreneurial spirit continues to be fed as I get to be creative in my job and offer new ideas and help cast vision for what this program could look like in future years. I am grateful for the MBA I received at Anderson as my job can be very administrative too while off the road. I feel that my time spent in the Falls School of Business helped prepare me to be a solid candidate for my job, taught me how to present myself professionally, work well in a team setting, and bring God into my work. I am grateful to get to use my business skills in a ministry setting.

- Aaron Smith, 2007 graduate, Tour / Marketing Manager, Christ in Youth

- Lindy Miller, 2004 graduate, Account Executive, Froggy 102.7

The Ravens received 76 points and six first-place votes in the poll. Transylvania got two first-place votes and Bluffton received the other first-place vote.

The Pioneers were picked second with 73 points, followed by Bluffton (61), Defiance (59), Manchester (44), Rose-Hulman (34), Mt. St. Joseph (29), Hanover (15) and Franklin (14).

The Ravens won the HCAC post-season tournament championship last year and advanced to the NCAA Div. III national tournament. They lost to national champion Linfield and No. 5 Central, finishing 29-15 overall and 12-4 in the HCAC.

AU has won four conference championships and advanced to four NCAA Regionals in the past 11 years.

AU opens the 2012 season against Wheaton, Mass., in Kissimmee, Fla., on Mar. 10 at 9 a.m.

- Christi Thompson, MBA grad, Vice President of Salon Operations, Salon 01

Going to class alongside other professionals from diverse fields has enhanced my experience, as it has given me a broader perspective and unique insight into the corporate culture of different companies. Between the challenging curriculum, the valuable networking among peers, and seminars hosted by prominent business professionals, Anderson University has definitely provided the MBA experience that I was seeking.

- Labib Dangol, MBA grad, Accountant, Defense Finance & Accounting Service

- Deanna Dicken, MBA grad, Technical Architect, ADESA

In what ways has the MBA program made a positive impact in your career, what difference has it made to you as an employee/employer?
My boss recently commented that all of his direct reports were MBAs. He coupled that statement with saying we were all business people rather than just IT people. An MBA degree alone won’t advance you. It acts as entry criteria and an opportunity to solve complex problems. What advances you are resolving a series of complex situations that are done well. To do these things well, you need a framework for analyzing those company level situations and making decisions. I gained the framework and beginning experiences in case study and the confidence to attack real-life cases.

What do think sets Anderson apart from other MBA programs, making it a unique and preferred choice of schools for an MBA?
The AU MBA is the only program, at least regionally, that strongly incorporates a Christian view. That view is critical as the professional comes of age as a manager.

- Barry Staldine, MBA grad, Vice President of Information Technology, CNO Financial Group

-Dr. John W. Crane, 2010 DBA grad, marketing manager at Batesville Casket Company and adjunct faculty at Indiana Wesleyan University