Mark Putnam | 8 Comments | Posted: February 25, 2013
People order the world in different ways. We are shaped by the experiences we have amassed in the settings that have defined our personal and group identity. It’s not so much a matter of what we value. Often we value many of the same things.
Mark Putnam | 13 Comments | Posted: November 2, 2011
One of the areas I have been most fascinated with is language. My years of studying German and Greek are a great distance in the rearview mirror, and useful only in remembering a few words, phrases and ideas. Yet I am fascinated with the ways in which language is reshaping the way we experience the world today. As isolation continues to fade with technology, telecommunication and social networking, it’s easy to assume the need for language ability also is fading.
Mark Putnam | 2 Comments | Posted: August 29, 2011
This motivates me to concentrate more on the world our students will encounter in the future and focus less on the world they are coming from today. I may live to see the year 2050, at which time I will be 90 years of age. Our 20-year-old students, however, will be at the peak of their leadership as family members, citizens and professionals. This is a global society I can only imagine, but one they will be responsible to lead at every level.
Mark Putnam | 9 Comments | Posted: February 15, 2011
Nabil stopped by my office frequently. He was tall with penetrating eyes and a warm smile. His innocent charm and soft-spoken manner were disarming, but he was incredibly bright with a formidable intellect. He was an outstanding student, who would eventually complete a Ph.D. Nabil was the first person I had ever known from Beirut, Lebanon.
Mark Putnam | 158 Comments | Posted: September 21, 2010
For the first several weeks of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico I wanted desperately to blame someone. It was hard watching the massive flow emanating from the ocean floor. Someone had to be held accountable. BP CEO, Tony Hayward, seemed an appropriate target with his flippant remarks and underestimation of the devastation caused by the spill. Yet, somewhere along the way I admitted to myself that I actually caused that spill, and I am very sorry for the result.
I'm the lucky individual who carries the title, 21st president of Central College in Pella, Iowa. My wife Tammy and I have two beautiful daughters, Emma and Greta. Passionate about higher education and the issues facing it and the world today, I hope to invoke an engaging conversation with all who are ready to dig in, make a difference and build for the future. Share your thoughts. I'm listening and interested.
