MSUE Spotlight

Dr. Ernesto Sirolli, the keynote speaker from the 2006 Fall Extension Conference, spoke passionately about the insights he gained from helping people developing their entrepreneurial skills. His emphasis on the risk that seems to come with being an entrepreneur left a lasting impression. He believes entrepreneurs are risk takers by definition—they are willing to invest their time, energy, intellect and financial resources into an enterprise that can either accomplish their life’s mission or become a massive failure. As 2008 draws to a close, I’m reminded of some risk-takers I’ve witnessed over the past few years and the lessons they taught me.

When downy mildew threatened to decimate pickle production in some regions of Michigan a few years ago, one of our plant pathology specialists immediately headed out to an infected farm. It would have been understandable if she had asked an Extension educator near the farm to do some initial reconnaissance—and perhaps she did—but there was no question in her mind that she needed to be at ground zero. I’m sure part of her motivation was to gather her own data and quickly develop a plan for learning more about the outbreak, and even to test some treatments to ensure she could give growers the best possible advice. She took a risk by putting her own analytical skills to the test, but she clearly took action that demanded more of her than might have been expected.

I think about her reaction to that outbreak whenever I’m uncertain about how I should handle an immediate challenge. Becoming totally immersed in the challenge gives insights and sends messages that can help to resolve the challenge.

A few months ago, I joined a group of educators and specialists on a study tour to Peru. I caught up with them a week after they visited a remote village in the Andes where they lived with villagers to learn about the challenges they face in producing food for income, maintaining good health, and trying to strengthen their community’s economy. During the week I was with them, the group frequently discussed the challenges the villagers face and debated ways that educational programming could help them address their challenges. By the end of the tour, the entire group was dedicated to developing grant proposals to enable them to fund some Extension programming that would help the villagers improve their lives. What could have been simply an interesting tour became a new mission for a group dedicated to serving others—not by solving the villagers problems, but by equipping them with the knowledge and means to come up with their own solutions. Their resolve was fed in part by the risks they saw the villagers dealing with daily. Their response is one that reassures the villagers that there is reason to hope.

Remember the MSUE program associate who went out of her way to check in on a young mother’s lactation progress only to find an undernourished newborn? Rather than accept that the mom would see the doctor in a few days, she loaded the mom and baby into her car and took them to the doctor so that the infant’s dire situation could be addressed immediately. I doubt that she worried about whether she was violating any policies (she wasn’t) or that she might be late for her first appointment with another client. She did what she needed to do to save a life. We can all learn from that level of understanding and determination.

Others beyond MSUE have provided valuable lessons about risk-taking and determination. A friend of mine from Peru developed a successful fish processing and harvesting business. His father started the business as a Croatian refugee who relocated to Peru after World War II. Their business and all of their investments were taken over by a military junta at a critical time in the fishery’s development. They restarted their business in Ecuador and moved back to Peru after the junta was replaced. They’ve experienced tumultuous economic forces ever since.

Recently, I asked him how the current economic turmoil was influencing their business. I wasn’t surprised to hear that his credit is as tight for him as it has ever been—a reflection of forces that have threatened major industries in the United State as well. But I was stunned when he told me that whenever there is an economic downturn, he feels obligated to invest heavily in his and other enterprises. His motivation isn’t to buy low so he can sell high. He does it so other businesses and government leaders will see his optimism at a time when others fear demise. I’ll always remember the importance of demonstrating optimism when all around seems negative.

A few weeks ago, MSU celebrated the announcement that the Department of Energy (DoE) will award MSU more than $500 million to fund the new Facility for Rare Isotope Beam (FRIB) research. MSU has an outstanding collection of nuclear physicists, but so do other institutions. What was unique about MSU was that we have a president and board of trustees who decided that we were going to build a FRIB at MSU with or without the DoE. They began developing the necessary infrastructure before the grant was awarded. It was risky, but I believe that by making it clear that MSU was ready to take action to advance the field of nuclear physics greatly influenced the DoE’s decision. Was it too risky? Perhaps. But in a state that is struggling to find hope, it offers a sorely needed level of inspiration.

2009 is being ushered in at a time of great uncertainty. All we can do is continue to move forward doing what we do best—helping people improve their lives through education. Doing so takes risks, shows determination, instills optimism, overcomes obstacles and sometimes even saves lives. It’s not only worth the risk, it’s why we exist. It’s what Michigan needs us to do.

As we look ahead into uncertainty, we can spread encouragement and hope by investing what we have to offer—our time, our expertise and our energy—in the communities, families and businesses we serve.

I wish you well for the challenging year ahead.