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Think about whys, hows on path to professional success
By Carson Varner
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“Off the blocks first and improve your position,” were the words of my high school swimming coach Dave Robertson at New Trier High School in suburban Chicago so many years ago.

Illinois State University, the state’s first public university, was first off the blocks 151 years ago and is rapidly improving its position as the finest undergraduate experience in Illinois. As we recently ended our sesquicentennial celebrations, I thought about my preparation to become just one member of President Al Bowman’s “Educating Illinois” team.

“What I am to be, I am now becoming,” noted one famous scholar. Being is stagnation. Becoming is what it is all about.

So much of what I am able to give as a professor, teacher, mentor and hopefully, an example, comes from those high school experiences.

Today, ISU is “becoming” very rapidly. That all began about 10 years ago. The heroes were then-President Victor Boschini and second in command, Provost Al Goldfarb, now president of nearby Western Illinois University.

To seize the future, they recalled our past. That pioneering spirit of Jesse Fell, one of the founders of ISU, made us first. The majority of Illinois State Normal University, as it was once known, followed our first president, Col. Charles Hovey, to the 33rd Illinois Volunteer Infantry, sometimes called the “brains regiment” or the “teacher’s regiment.”

Those would be teachers trained on the quad, our quad, who served honorably at Vicksburg and numerous other venues. The regimental flag of the 33rd is an honored part of our heritage. Their passion was to be educators; they were surely reluctant warriors.

Old Main, the university’s first building, stood for 100 years. The sound of its huge bell would begin the day, mark the periods and call curfew. It remains on the quad.

The tradition on Founders Day is to mark the years by ringing a smaller bell, mercifully indoors, once for each year of our history. This year, the bell ringers begin with President Bowman and then 150 team members, big and small. Among them former presidents; their wives; a veteran; student leaders; Gary Simpkins doing business as Abraham Lincoln; and me, No. 89.

Educating Illinois is a real document (www.educatingillinois.ilstu.edu/) which is being revised. It represents the university’s mission, vision and marching orders.

In my department, the College of Business, we have been asked to think about what molds us as professors, write out our teaching philosophy and explain how we view our role in Educating Illinois.

I am probably not the only one in town whose athletic experience has been life-forming. So how did swimming make this business professor?

I had, and believe still have, a superior swimming stroke. I became a Red Cross advanced swimmer, earned my senior lifesaver designation, and through New Trier, became a water safety instructor.

Unfortunately, the one thing I lacked was that critical element of speed. The explosive power an athlete needs was not in me. I was the slowest swimmer on the freshman team.

My career in the organization shifted to team manager, lifeguard and teacher in the Saturday community program. I learned the intellectual aspects of swimming and teaching from the master, my coach.

In my four years, we won two state championships. We lost the other years to arch rivals Evanston and Hinsdale.

“You must become a student of stroke,” the coach said. Swimmers, as they do their endless laps, have a lot of time to think and I used it well. In becoming a student, one does not simply memorize the proper form of crawl or breaststroke but asks, why am I doing things this way?

One moves forward by pushing water backward with as little drag and wasted motion as possible. The intellectual aspect of swimming or business is to make every lap a pattern of thought. Why am I doing it this way? How might it be better done? The intellect of sport is often underestimated. Running and swimming times continue to drop but horses — for all their breeding — run no faster than a century ago. Human intellect is most of that.

Teaching swimming or business is the same process: Jump into the water and swim across the pool, using your best stroke.

You see where the students are and then improve their positions.

“Watch as I move my arms. My hands are cupped. See how my elbow is bent. This gives me maximum strength to push water back and move me forward. Now you try it on land.”

“Don’t just memorize. Be a student of business. Think why and how. Remember hard work and success are related.”

That is how to become the state champion and successful professional.

More than 40 years have passed, but New Trier taught the tools I use every day. In 15 years, it will be 2023. I will probably be retired, but our current ISU students will be assuming positions of business leadership. The knowledge they will need for success does not yet exist.

What can they do? Think, question and ask how it can be done better. If we can give our students these abilities, along with a moral compass, they will be successful.

That is something of the story of bell ringer No. 89. The university and my department have prodded me to think things out. It is a valuable lesson for anyone.

What made me a business professor? What are we trying to give our students? How can we be ever-better in our Educating Illinois mission?

Carson Varner is a professor of finance, insurance and law at Illinois State University.

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