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WINTER 2009 VOLUME 54 NUMBER 2 It was a great “opportunity to learn history in a different setting. ” IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS Students say a staff ride was the best way to learn about the Civil War Sally Jongsma ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Van der Waal from Boyden, Iowa. nineteenth century. Following a battle, they “The trip was one of the greatest moments went on a “staff ride” to analyze what had r. Paul Fessler admitted he was a bit in my educational experience,” said Sarah Roth happened and what went right or wrong. The INSIDE nervous the day before the staff ride from Escondido, California. She and the other military continues to use them today, as do he planned for the history students in students each became experts on different forest fire fighters, as a way to learn from what Dhis American Civil War and Restoration course. characters and had to weave their knowledge has happened before. Some business schools He knew the success of the trip rested as much together as they recreated and analyzed the use staff rides to examine leadership decisions. on students’ preparation as his. He needn’t have battles. Today the United States Army College uses worried. Despite having had to read four books “I wouldn’t have missed it for anything,” said staff rides as part of its leadership training for and numerous primary and secondary source Ryan Jensema from Oostburg, Wisconsin. “It generals. Fessler got the idea for doing a ride 5Video receives articles on the Wilson’s Creek and Pea Ridge was a great opportunity to learn history in a with his class following his participation in one international battles, the students were ready and eager for different setting and also to get to know the during a seminar for twenty historians during awards the trip. people in my class much better.” the summer of 2007 at West Point. “It’s part of the reason why I took the class. Staff rides were first used by Prussian “On the staff ride at Wilson’s Creek and Pea There was a rumor going around that generals in the early Ridge, we stood where the battle took place and we might be going to do asked why they made the decisions they something like this, and I’ve did,” says Fessler. Some things always been interested in became very clear to Fessler’s 6Education how place affects history, students just from being there. students share so looking forward They saw that the hollows curriculum units to going to the actual at Wilson’s Creek created battlefields was exciting. acoustic shadows that We were talking about it all semester,” said Krystle (continued on page 2) 11Thirteen fall athletes earn NAIA Scholar Athlete awards DORDT COLLEGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Campus Capsules New addition Sure Fire Investing Dr. Carl E. Zylstra frankly, enough time for such an education him ever more fully because of our greater is named to “sink in” and become part of who we are— understanding of his world and our growing “Have I got a deal for you!” and will be—for the rest of our lives. awe that he is both the origin and the he new academic fter the economic turmoil of the Education is one of the only investments ultimate goal of all that we study. Education Tspace currently under past year, few of us are likely to be that actually increases in impact as time helps us understand more fully the marvels construction will be called attracted by such a sales pitch. goes by. Formal education is of the chemical structure of living things, the Douglas and Henrietta AYet, again this year, Dordt College just a foundation, but it is the for example, and in so doing we honor (Miedema) Ribbens Academic has sent representatives across the foundation that is necessary the glorious designer and sustainer of the Complex, honoring two early continent and literally around to undergird all of our future creation we’ve been studying. And a solidly contributors to the success of the world to tell people that we experiences as they become biblically-based education prepares us for a Dordt College. have a deal for them: We offer new layers in forming and lifetime of benefiting those whom we touch Dr. Douglas Ribbens was an opportunity that may take a shaping our effectiveness as with our lives of service. Take for example the college’s first professor of considerable investment of time, servants of Jesus Christ—in Dordt College graduates who become education and served Dordt effort, and money to accomplish, whatever area of life he may call teachers. Their profession will provide a College for thirty-seven but in the end it will be far us. steady income and great personal satisfaction, years as a professor, registrar, more valuable than what Once in a while, I’ll ask to be sure, but it will also allow those teachers administrator, and director of it costs. gatherings of alumni how to benefit immeasurably the lives of the the library. Ribbens has been An investment in many are doing the same future students whom they shape and nurture described as an insightful and education lasts a lifetime. thing they started doing through their instructional efforts. practical realist who balanced Education is one of the when they graduated from That’s why, in the end, I’m convinced that President B.J. Haan’s passionate few experiences in life Dordt College. Probably less Dordt College is still on solid ground as we creativity, providing the that, if effective, becomes Dr. Carl E. Zylstra than a fourth of them are still continue to recommend an investment in teamwork that moved the college part of who you are. I’m in the same career. So while a education. I’m well aware that the college forward. A former principal, he often asked why students need to invest four college education prepares us for our first job, bears a tremendous responsibility to make brought administrative skills years in a residential college experience. After the true value of a Dordt education actually that educational experience as affordable an to the fledgling institution, all, so the question goes, aren’t there cheaper grows throughout our lives because it equips investment as possible. So this year we have and helped the junior college and more efficient ways to get across the us with the worldview and fundamental continued trying to limit our educational move to an accredited four-year information that a solid education provides? insight that can prepare us for whatever new cost, on the one hand, while at the same time institution. Of course there are. The world wide web, opportunities develop over the decades of maximizing the quality of the educational Henrietta (Miedema) for instance, is a source of almost limitless life and service that follow. Where else can experience that investment makes possible. Ribbens played a key support information and you surely don’t have to live you find that sort of investment, one that It may be true that the current role at the college from 1957 on a campus in Sioux Center, Iowa, to gain appreciates in value throughout the years, no environment has made us wary of “sure-fire until retirement in 1992. access to it. But to acquire the kind of faith- matter what life circumstances we confront? investment” offers. Personally, however, I’m Miedema began as the lone infused, biblically-directed education that Finally, I’m not sure that many other still glad to be able to represent at least one college secretary in 1957, Dordt College is committed to providing does investments guarantee lifetime dividends investment that, as God provides his blessing, but over the years combined take a faith-filled environment, biblically- for us and, at the same time, benefit others is pretty much guaranteed to enrich our lives, secretarial duties with keeping committed mentors and teachers, and, quite even more. God benefits when we praise benefit Christ’s kingdom, and add to his glory. the books, taking care of student accounts, and essentially becoming assistant registrar during the years that Douglas Staff ride created a bond as students learned Ribbens served dual roles as registrar and academic dean. (continued from page 1) the officers?” The new addition will give prevented the army from hearing the battle Fessler shared his students’ feeling that students in the education already going on. Walking through the the trip had been successful. department use of a smart cornfields and seeing the terrain of the “Students learn more if they are well- technology classroom, a science battlefield helped them sense the soldiers’ prepared and are excited about what they’re methods classroom, and three fear of not being able to see far and know learning,” he said, noting that experiential new model classrooms. Art what they were facing. The experience learning often cements knowledge in a way students will gain additional helped them get a better sense of what classroom lectures can’t. classroom space for sculpture, the soldiers had gone through and how Another benefit of the trip for students painting, and print-making. exhausted they would have been after hiking was getting to know other history students Digital media students will with their equipment and ammunition. better. Wilson’s Creek in Missouri and Pea Ridge in Arkan- benefit from expanded digital But it did much more. Prior to the trip sas were the third and fourth battles of the Civil War, “The highlight of the trip for me was media computer labs. students did extensive research on the battles but many people don’t know much about them be- going on this trip with people who were and each person became an expert on one or cause they were so far west and most attention went to really interested in the Civil War and eager two people who were involved in the battle.

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