Mormon Life - Education tag

Mormon Media Observer: Are Mormons really more successful in business?

Tue, 22 May 2012 09:52:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

Mormon Life says: Do you think Mormons especially excel in business? Steve Martin isn’t a Latter-day Saint. Neither is Adam Sandler. Neither is Apple’s Tim Cook, nor Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg.

But many well-known people are.

It seems a common tactic in the news media to pick successful Latter-day Saints and hold them up as examples of how the LDS faith is succeeding in the world at some profession or other.

This seems especially true of business reporting.

If Harvard Business School were a religion, it could be Mormonism

Mon, 14 May 2012 10:16:00 -0600

source: washingtonpost.com

This piece is part of a joint On Faith - On Leadership series exploring the Mormon experiences that have helped shaped Mitt Romney’s leadership style, with pieces contributed by promiment Mormon writers and academics.

For the past year, as Mitt Romney has taken to the campaign trail, a number of news articles have explored why Mormons make good business leaders. An ethic of hard work, some say. A team mentality.

These may be true, yet there are other values that underpin Mormon leadership even more deeply — and they’re the same ones espoused by Harvard Business School.

LDS Church gives $4 million for new University of Utah law school building

Sun, 13 May 2012 20:34:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

A new building for the University of Utah's S.J. Quinney College of Law received a $4 million gift from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the university announced Friday.

"The church's involvement with the university goes back to its founding. The new, state-of-the-art law school building and those who will graduate from there will benefit the university and the community," the church's Presiding Bishop Gary Stevenson said in a prepared statement.

BYU, University of Utah business schools on News and World Report's 'most popular' list

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 09:22:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

Two business schools in Utah, Brigham Young University’s Marriott School of Business and the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business, have joined the ranks of Harvard and Stanford on U.S. News & World Report’s Most Popular Business Schools list.

The rankings were based on the schools’ yields, or the percentage of full-time applicants accepted to the schools that decide to enroll there.

Advice I'd Give My 21-Year-Old Self

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:05:00 -0600

by LDS Living Readers
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: We all know that when we’re older, hindsight is 20/20. What things do you wish you had known when you were younger? Enjoy these gems of hard-won wisdom from some of our readers.

Only care about what the Lord thinks and not other people. Everything else just seems to fall into place when that is my focus.

—Anne; Arizona

Volunteer. Someone could use your help and you’ll get a better feeling that lasts longer. You’re poor, so act like it—that is, in terms of spending. Learn about every good thing you can; the more you learn about something, the more interesting it will become.

—Danny McClure; Blacksburg, Virginia

Don’t get a credit card in college.

Listen to your parents and your friends. If they don’t like the person you’re dating, there’s probably a good reason.

Pick your battles. Decide what is worth fighting over and then don’t sweat the rest of it.

It’s fine for other people to “win” arguments.

Apologize even when you don’t think something was your fault. It never hurts, and if it mends fences, it’s good.

Worry less about what other people think about you.

—Rachel Ausband; Marblehead, Massachusetts

Words of wisdom I received from my grandmother: “I decided that life was too short to go around feeling offended, so I just decided to never be offended.” This mindset has saved me considerable emotional energy over the years. Try to see the big picture, give the other person the benefit of the doubt, and always make the choice to not be offended.

—Elizabeth Forsyth; Doylestown, Pennsylvania

Appreciate your parents. It’s hard sometimes—I remember all too well. But your time with them is so limited. Take the time to call them, check on them, go see a movie with them, or just hang out eating cookies. I promise that when you are older you will cherish those moments.

—Carol Stuart

Keep physically fit. That is a blessing you will be grateful for throughout your life. Eat well, work out regularly, and walk whenever you can. Walking is a great way to connect with your spouse once you get married. If you do it on a daily basis, it can be a great time to discuss family situations outside the home in a neutral surrounding.

—Debbie Justesen; Roseville, California

You can do anything but not everything.

You have your entire life to get married and have children; live a little first. Work, travel, and enjoy. You will eventually be a better mother and wife for taking time to become who you want to be.

Don’t worry about what others think. Be true to yourself and God. The rest will take care of itself.

—Jacqueline White; Springfield, Massachusetts

Develop a strong testimony because the decisions you’ll make in the next few years will be the most important decisions you’ll perhaps ever make.

—K.D. Paniagua; Nevada

Just having retired, I really wish I had started saving for retirement much sooner. Learn the tricks of those who are good with money and don’t get into debt.

—Ann Reynolds; Everett, Washington

You’re going to live to be 100, so don’t freak out when something doesn’t happen in a few months or a few years. It’s okay if you didn’t graduate in exactly four years. It’s okay if you didn’t get married by 25 like you’d always planned. For some things, you just have to go with the flow and let what will happen, happen. The timing will always work out, even if it is not the timing you wanted.

—Heather Galovan; Salt Lake City, Utah

Avoid mid-semester weddings if possible. Don’t take a career path that restricts you to only a certain geographic location.

—Mike McClure; Tazewell, Virginia

Organize your classes well and develop good academic skills as fast as you can. Don’t overload your schedule, even if you can still pass your classes. Be diligent and patient in your schoolwork and leave time for dating and earning a little extra cash to have some fun, too.

—John Leonard; Sacramento, California

When it comes to finding a future companion, it is more important to focus on being your best self for her rather than trying to find “The One.”

—Brian Bourgerie; Spring Lake Park, Minnesota

Take your time in school. Slow it down and enjoy life for where you are at right now. Some of the greatest times are missed or overshadowed by always being busy and wanting or needing to grow up. Remember the tortoise and the hare: slow and steady wins the race. Speedy and greedy leaves you tired and needy.

—Jay Tucker; Mesa, Arizona

When you have children, play with them—a lot! Read to them—a lot! Lie by them when you put them to bed each night and talk, maybe for only two to five minutes. These things will make all the difference in your relationship with them throughout the years.

—Gayle Halversen

Flossing is a hassle, but do it anyway. Your skin never forgets what you do to it; sunbathing will age you quickly. You’ll thank me when people think your younger siblings are older than you. Look upon the challenges and trials of your life as “all part of the adventure.” Read Hugh Nibley and other LDS scholars in conjunction with your scripture study.

—Lisa Howard; Adana, Turkey

Don’t go crazy thinking about your weight. You’ll look back 20+ years later and realize you looked pretty great and would give anything to be that size again. It’s all about perspective. Be kinder and more forgiving of yourself in thought.

Wear a high-level sunscreen every day! Your skin, especially your face, neck, and hands (yes, your hands) will thank you later with fewer wrinkles, blemishes, and sun spots in your 40s. Need proof? Just look at your mother’s face, neck, and hands. Now go get some sunscreen.

—Loralee Humphries; Henderson, Nevada

Sometimes it can be hard to believe in yourself and your abilities. Don’t take counsel from your fears; shoot high. This is your opportunity in life to be whatever you want to be. Once you have made up your mind, work hard and take daily action to accomplish your goal.

—David Jenkins; Yuba City, California

When things look really bad and you have done all you can do, take a long, hot bath, have a good cry (in the tub if possible), go to bed, and sleep. Things will always look better in the morning. This was the best advice my mother gave me when I was a teenager. It still holds true.

—Judith Adams Grant; Waycross, Georgia

Sweetie, you are worth so much more than you think right now! Spend some time learning all the wonderful things about yourself and then start thinking about getting married. Most of all, I love you, Mom and Dad love you, all of the family loves you, Heavenly Father and Jesus love you.

P.S. When you do have kids, take tons of pictures because they grow up so stinking fast that it seems like a blur.

—Bethany Seher; Murray, Utah

Don’t waste your time on Facebook, video games, or other stuff like it. Go out of your way and don’t be afraid to serve or talk to others about the gospel. Always be learning, improving, and developing talents.

Colin McKay; Mesa, Arizona

Take the bull by the horns and never look back. Don’t rely on someone else to make you happy; happiness is a choice and you should never let someone tell you different. You have more talent than you know, so don’t be afraid to show it and build upon it. Most of all, never make the mistake of thinking you are alone in your efforts. Treat a janitor as you would treat a CEO.

—Andrew Fry; Fernley, Nevada

Love is half how you feel about the other person and half how you feel about yourself because of that person. If you admire him/her like the sun, but whenever you are with him/her you feel like you are a toadstool, even though the words “I love you” are passing between you, you only have half of love—you’re not bringing out the best in each other. Find someone with whom you feel like a princess and who feels like he’s a prince because of you.

—Chris

When you get home from your mission, make sure to talk about other things when you go on dates.

—Vince; Pasco, Washington

Fill your bucket now! This is the one time in your life (if you are single) when you are independent and able to make decisions for yourself. Once you are married and have a family, you need to put others’ needs before your own. Thus, if there is something you have been dying to do, do it. Fill your mind with scriptural knowledge, knowledge from great books, and knowledge from people you know and trust. Create a “bucket” that is full of wonderful experiences and wisdom that you can draw from in the future when you need it for more difficult or stressful times.

—Debbie Justesen; Roseville, California

You cannot reap if you do not sow.

The task that takes the longest to complete is the one you never start.

True obedience to the gospel is more than just active avoidance of unrighteousness—it is active avoidance of unrighteousness coupled with active engagement in righteousness. Too often

the latter is forgotten or eclipsed by things that do not edify (D&C 50:23).

The pain of loneliness, disappointment, despair, and heartache is actually carving reservoirs into your soul that will later be filled with joy.

Carbohydrates will make you fat.

—Grant Hart; Grand Junction, Colorado

No, you don’t have it all figured out. No, you are not the person you have to be for the rest of your life. Let yourself change, let yourself learn, and let yourself grow.

—Amanda Taylor; Salt Lake City, Utah

Do you have more wisdom and advice not already included? Leave a comment below!

Check out some of the advice our Facebook friends gave here.

See what advice our LDS Living staff had for our former selves here.

UVU science scholarship created in name of Elder Richard G. Scott

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 09:26:00 -0600

source: ldschurchnews.com

Utah Valley University announced the creation of a newly endowed science scholarship in the name of Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve.

The Richard G. Scott Scholarship Endowment will be awarded beginning with the 2013-2014 academic year to a UVU student in his or her junior or senior year pursuing a bachelor's degree in chemistry, mathematics, physics or a related field in the College of Science & Health.

Private LDS school to become Utah’s first iSchool

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:09:00 -0600

source: heraldextra.com

Hundreds of parents and students packed Thanksgiving Point's Show Barn on Friday night for the announcement that Liahona Preparatory Academy, a private LDS-based K-12 school in Pleasant Grove, will become Utah's first iSchool next month.

All students, beginning in kindergarten, will be using iPads and apps as their primary education tool. The move, which begins in May, is necessary because moving to a digital education model is the only way to ensure students are prepared for the new digital world, said school officials.

Mormon students honor U. physiology lecturer

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:17:00 -0600

source: sltrib.com

As a student at American Fork High, Matthew Linton took an advanced placement biology class that changed his life.

"I never had been challenged like that before," Linton said. "It lit me up."

Dave Says: Worry about Your Wallet, Not Your Image

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 00:04:00 -0600

by Dave Ramsey
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: I'm a new doctor with an old car. Should I upgrade?

Dear Dave,

I’m a new doctor, and I drive a car that has over 200,000 miles on it, is 10 years old, and a few dings in the doors. I’ve heard image is everything when you’re a doctor, but I like not having a car payment. Should I just get over being self-conscious about my old car?

Mario

Dear Mario,

I like not having a car note, too. I’d walk, ride a bike, or drive your car with a great, big smile on my face before I picked up a car payment!

As new, young doctor you’ve probably got six figures in student loans hanging over your head right now. So you need to get out from under all that before you start thinking about driving something fancy. If this car is truly on its last legs, then I’d say save up for a few months then upgrade to a good, reasonably-priced, used car.

Just remember, a Mercedes or BMW doesn’t prove you’re a doctor, and it doesn’t mean you’re a good doctor, either. You just need to worry about what’s smart for you instead of what other people think!

—Dave

For more financial help, please visit daveramsey.com.

Dave Says: Hunt Down the Money!

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 00:03:00 -0600

by Dave Ramsey
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: I have a partial scholarship to law school, but I can't work in the meantime. How can I make it out without debt?

Dear Dave,

I’m 24, and I don’t have any debt except for a small student loan. I’m going to law school to study international law, and I have a scholarship that pays 25 percent. However, I won’t really be able to work much while I’m studying. How can I do this without taking on more debt?

Amy

Dear Amy,

If I were you I’d do some online research on all the governmental agencies out there. I’ll bet there’s one that’s willing to pay for your law school if you would agree to work for them for a few years after you get out. It’s kind of an indentured servitude deal, but that’s a lot better than taking on $150,000 or more in debt.

The scholarship is a good thing, but we both know it will only scratch the surface when you’re talking about law school. Think about this, Amy. You got the scholarship by finding a good opportunity and asking for it, right? There’s a ton of scholarship money out there, and millions of dollars of it goes unclaimed every year.

If I were you, I’d get into the business of hunting money. Track down every possibility you can, and use every honest thing to your advantage!

—Dave

For more financial help, please visit daveramsey.com.

Harvard hosts Elder Holland as speaker

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 09:18:00 -0600

source: Newsroom.lds.org

Mormon Life says: You can watch a video of it by clicking on the forwarding link. An apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) addressed students at Harvard Law School on Tuesday during the annual Mormonism 101 series sponsored by the school's Latter-day Saint Student Association.

In Harvard’s historic Langdell Hall, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke to a religiously diverse audience about Mormonism’s teachings. He explained, among other things, that Latter-day Saints believe Christ’s ancient church has been restored in modern times.

BYU ranked among top 40

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 11:01:00 -0600

source: ldschurchnews.com

Brigham Young University's law and business schools are both among the Top 40 in the country, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report graduate school rankings, released March 13. The J. Reuben Clark Law School is ranked 39th, jumping three spots from last year's rankings, while the Marriott School of Management is ranked 34th. Other BYU graduate programs and specialties rank in the top 100 of their categories.

Education moments: 'Plan from heaven'

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 11:24:00 -0600

source: ldschurchnews.com

After returning home from serving in the Argentina Rosario Mission from 2001-2003, Luis Alberto Fuques Munoz, from the Lezica Ward, Montevideo Uruguay North Stake, requested a loan through the Perpetual Education Fund to study dairy production. Although he planned to finish in 2007, Luis had an impression in December 2006 (school started in March) that he should not go to school that year.

Luis received an email from the Employment Resource Center concerning an internship in New Zealand in the field of dairy production. He went to the Employment Resource Center and submitted his résumé. In a short time, he received a letter from them inviting him to an interview with New Zealand Farming Systems Ltd. Louis was one of six young people selected to go to New Zealand.

The LDS Church have more schools in Tonga than any where else in the world

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 11:21:00 -0600

source: matangitonga.to

The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints LDS have more schools in Tonga than anywhere else in the world, the Commissioner of the LDS Church Education System, Elder Paul V. Johnson told Matangi Tonga during a one-day stop over in Tonga to attend the annual conference of Pacific Principals' of LDS church schools at Liahona on March 8.

Does higher education experience undermine faith — or enhance it?

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 10:44:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

Mormon Life says: Educated Mormons say their religion is a high priority, more than any other religion's educated members. Like many parents, Sara Meldrum's mother worried about sending her daughter to college. She would be living in a co-ed dorm at UC Davis and exposed to things that weren't necessarily in keeping with their family's faith or value system: premartial sex and alcohol. Although college wouldn't be the first time Sara would be exposed to these things, it would be her first time on her own. Would she stay true to her convictions away from the family unit that encouraged and fostered belief?

Despite the social pressures of college, Meldrum's faith flourished. She managed to engage socially with friends from the dorm. She became involved with her local church youth organization, where she took religious classes, hung out with friends and played competitive games of ping pong. She was given an opportunity to plan a lunch speaker series. These experiences and the community she found stregthened her convictions. Today Meldrum is married and lives in Germany. She reamins active in her faith by attending religious services as well as maintaining a private spiritual life through devotional activities like prayer and scripture study.

Elder Sybrowsky tapped as new SVU president

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 10:34:00 -0700

source: deseretnews.com

Elder Paul K. Sybrowsky, released last October from the Second Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a former commissioner of the Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities and chairman of the board of directors at Utah Valley University, was introduced Friday morning as the new president of Southern Virginia University.

Located in Virginia's picturesque Shenandoah Valley, SVU is a private, independent liberal arts college that fully embraces the values and standards of the LDS Church, although it is not endorsed, managed or owned by the church.

Dave Says: What's in a Name?

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:04:00 -0700

by Dave Ramsey
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: What should I tell my son if he wants to transfer to an expensive college?

Dear Dave,

My son is a sophomore at a local college, and he wants to transfer to a very prestigious university. If he did this he would incur more than $100,000 in student loan debt, and that’s with us picking up half of the cost. What do you think I should tell him?

Will

Dear Will,

I’d have a hard time telling anybody that one school is $100,000 more valuable than another one. The fact is unless he has $100,000 lying around somewhere, he shouldn’t go to that other school for one very simple reason – he can’t afford it!

We hire people every week at my company, and where they attended college is a very minor deal. There will always be a few corporate types out there who play games and try to turn the office into some kind of snooty country club, but the fact is most employers don’t care where you went to college.

It’s what you learn and being able to use that knowledge in the marketplace that’s really valuable, Will. Knowledge is king, and we live in a knowledge-based economy. If you can’t retain and apply what they’re teaching, then the only thing more worthless than a college degree is a college pedigree!

—Dave

For more financial help please visit daveramsey.com.

{A&E} Divine Digitization: LDS E-books

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:05:00 -0700

by Emily McClure
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Did you know that e-books aren't just for people who can't fit real books into their luggage? They're also a way for rare and out-of-print books to be made more available - and thanks to tireless work by some LDS scholars, some significant out-of-print books are now available to the general public.

I remember when I first learned about the joy of e-books. Up until the year 2009, I’d been only slightly interested in any form of digitized book; I loved being able to drive or work out while listening to a book on CD or iPod, but I was staunchly against e-books or Kindle versions of my favorites. To me, the feel of a book, its smell, the way I could watch my reading progress as I read page by page, was more important than keeping up technologically.

Then, in that fateful year, I started working at a library (perfect for me because I was surrounded by print books). As a library aide, when I was waiting at the desk for a confused patron to notice me, I wasn’t allowed to do anything that would distract my attention from patrons—no Facebook, no homework, no reading. All we were allowed to do was read an eBook or peruse the library databases. And that’s when I discovered the power of the e-book. I suddenly had hours of reading available to me whenever work was slow. And then I realized that, if I didn’t have room for a favorite book in my bookbag, I could also just connect to an e-book online without overstuffing my bag. Needless to say, I have continued my exploration of the digital literary world.

I recently discovered that the e-book isn’t just a poster child for the future of literature, nor is it just for those who can’t fit a print version of a book in their luggage. The e-book is also an invaluable method of preserving old books and making them available to more than just trained specialists. It’s almost like a form of family history, preserving the works of those revered authors whose books can’t hold up under non-digital strain.

BYU Studies recently came out with an e-books section on their website (click here to see it). Thanks to Deseret Book’s new e-reader app, Bookshelf, BYU is able to make certain titles accessible to thousands more people. So far, the section includes 21 books, many of which are out of print but are still popular. An example is Revelations on the Priesthood, a book which contains information on the priesthood from authors such as Edward L. Kimball, Ronald K. Esplin, and Marcus H. Martins (if you don’t know who these men are, it’s because this book is out of print). Despite its unavailability in the print world, Revelations on the Priesthood is still a very popular lesson supplement for a Relief Society or Sunday school class. A few of the books are compilations of useful articles on popular topics. One of the best-sellers in the section is Doctrines in the Book of Mormon: Articles from BYU Studies. The book includes over fifty years of doctrine published by BYU Studies and is not available in print form.

And if you’re not in the BYU Studies program, all these titles and more can be found at the source: Deseret Bookshelf. The Bookshelf app is free to download, and even better, first-time users automatically receive eight free e-book downloads (including Jesus the Christ and The Miracle of Forgiveness--click here to see the rest). Hundreds of other Church-related e-books are available for download.

Equally exciting is that you can download the scriptures to your phone. Don’t have room for your quad amongst the bag of cheerios and lesson manuals? Just use your downloaded scriptures! Forgot to bring your scriptures to church? Easy, they’ve already been downloaded! Aside from the fact that you can access your e-books via your smart phone (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android) at any place or time, you can also adjust font size, highlight or bookmark certain sections or pages, and conduct searches for key terms. It’s even difficult for me, a recent tourist of the digital continent, to see a downside to this kind of technology.

So, is the digital age worth looking into? Definitely . . . maybe. I think what I’ve discovered is that digital literature cuts out a lot of limitations that society has had up until about twenty years ago. If I want to find an article about priesthood responsibilities that was written in 1937, I don’t have to hunt down the original print version; I can just find it online. If I want to read six of my favorite books at the beach, I don’t have to load up a duffle bag, I can just download them on a Kindle.

Wait. No, I really haven’t been sold on Kindles yet. By the time I get around to liking Kindles, there’ll probably be something better to buy anyway.

California graduate university takes academic approach to Mormonism

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 08:55:00 -0700

source: deseretnews.com

Years before the so-called "Mormon Moment," a private graduate-only research university in California began educating students in earnest about the religion.

Claremont Graduate University has been offering graduate-level Mormon studies courses since 2005.

Founded in 1925, CGU has a current enrollment of 2,177. The School of Religion, one of nine schools in the university, has 208 students.

Mormon Helping Hands revitalizes school in Brazil

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:16:00 -0700

source: news.lds.org

Approximately 50 Mormon Helping Hands volunteers—including members of the Church, their friends, and Latter-day Saint missionaries missionaries—mobilized on Saturday, January 21, 2012, to help clean, weed, and otherwise revitalize Ivone Maria Menezes, a state school in Macapá, Brazil.

The activity, coordinated by the school board and organized by the Macapá Brazil Amapá District’s public affairs director, Kleber Sainz, drew attention and coverage from several local media outlets.