Prayer Partners from Florida to Illinois to LA

I had a neat experience this week. The faculty arrived on campus as classes start next Monday and on Wednesday morning I was scheduled to address them for a half hour about our enrollment goals. As this was to be my first time in front of the faculty and our chancellor, I was concerned that it go well. Late Tuesday night, it occurred to me that I could ask some of my admissions friends around the country for prayer support by sending an e-mail to the "Christian Fellowship Special Interest Group" (that's the name it was given) listserv of the National Association for College Admission Counseling. I composed a note that read:

It just occurred to me that I should send a quick note to the SIG to ask for some prayer support . . . Wednesday morning at 10:45 Eastern, I'll be making my first presentation to the faculty at Taylor University Fort Wayne . . . sharing with them some very audacious enrollment goals for Fall 2008. I would sure appreciate your prayers if you think of it . . . that I'll articulate things well and that we'll all think and problem solve as a team.

I'm very impressed with those I've met at TUFW so far and the "how can we help?" mindset of most. When it comes to asking faculty to help build enrollment, especially to build enrollment in a significant way, it can sometimes be a touchy matter, especially when you haven't yet had time to build many personal relationships and don't necessarily know who is "friendly" and who is a landmine.

Then I went to bed.

So how did Wednesday morning go? Well, let me just insert here the e-mail that I sent out last night to the listserv:

Just a quick note to follow up on my e-mail from last night. This morning I sat in the faculty meeting, both listening to our chancellor and checking my e-mail. It was very moving to see message after message pop up on my screen from across the nation. Some were brief ("Done") and others were prayers actually typed out on my behalf. Can you imagine how affirmed and supported I felt? After the chancellor finished his two hour "state of the university" talk, it was my turn.

My presentation seemed to go very well. I was extremely relaxed . . . so much so that I rolled right through my time limit and had to be cut off 15 minutes later. I spent almost no time on our big, hairy audacious goals (which may help explain why things went okay) but I felt that I was well-received and that the faculty are at the very least open to doing their part if we will facilitate their efforts and equip them. They're willing to give me a chance, and that may be all you can ask.

Because I didn't get into the numbers much, I think I now need to meet with each department individually regarding their goals, but that may be a blessing in disguise (except when it comes to finding time for all those meetings).

Thank you, friends, for your prayers and support. I definitely felt it and I thank God for a good start to my relationship with these professors.