BUSINESS BRIEFS: Earthly Blessings, Federation Bank, Maharishi School, Maharishi University of Management

Earthly Blessings celebrates 20th anniversary

Earthly Blessings in Washington recently celebrated its 20th-year anniversary.

The Washington Ambassadors visited the store for a ribbon cutting.

Earthly Blessings was established in September 1999. It is a nonprofit, unique and inspirational Christian gift shop, with the proceeds going to St. James Catholic School.

The store is staffed by volunteers who care deeply about supporting St. James School and the community. It has constantly changing displays in the store and a variety of gift ideas.

Federation Bank donates to Washington Fire Department

Federation Bank is making a contribution to the Washington Fire Department to help outfit the new fire station.

The $10,000 donation will be used to help furnish the training room, fitness room and gear washing facilities.

'We are happy to support our local volunteer firefighters,” said Jamie Collier, president and CEO of Federation Bank., 'Our local firefighters put in many hours of training each year to make sure they are keeping themselves and their fellow firefighter's safe. We owe them a debt of gratitude for what they do and we are happy to help them in this way.”

Maharishi School ranks No. 1 in Iowa

Maharishi School tops all other private schools in Iowa in five of six categories according to the website Niche.com, which ranks schools and colleges nationwide.

Maharishi Upper School is ranked No. 1 as the Best Private High School in Iowa out of 53 schools statewide.

The Upper School is also No. 1 in the categories of Most Diverse, Best College Prep, and Best Boarding. In addition, Maharishi School received a rating of No. 1 in the category of Best Private K-12 Schools in Iowa.

And out of 77 schools both private and public, Maharishi Upper School ranked No. 3 in the category Best High Schools for STEM in Iowa, with STEM referring to science, technology, engineering, and math.

Rankings are based on data from the U.S. Department of Education and from reviews from students, parents, and teachers.

Used with permission from The Review, Maharishi University of Management's electronic newsletter.

Proportion of new online students surpasses number on campus

For the second year in a row, fall enrollment of new students in Maharishi University of Management's online programs has exceeded enrollment of new students on campus.

As of early September, 158 new students enrolled in online programs compared to 144 students enrolling on campus (not counting the students in the MS in computer science). Similarly, last year 101 new students enrolled in online programs and 94 on campus.

'The availability of online learning brings the appeal of Consciousness-Based education to a much wider audience, and the year-over-year growth is an indication that our programs are really resonating among prospective students,” said Rod Eason, vice president of enrollment management and student life.

The new online enrollment includes 49 undergraduate students in the BA in Ayurveda Wellness, a program that began in January. In addition, eight students enrolled in the new BA in Applied Arts and Sciences.

Together, these 57 new undergraduate students compare to 50 new undergraduate students on campus.

'It's heartening to see that our new online students are every bit as enthusiastic about Consciousness-Based education as our on-campus students,” said Chris Jones, dean of assessment and undergraduate studies. 'They have also bonded as an online community in a sweet and profound way. Online is definitely a growth area for the university at this time.”

Interest in online study of Maharishi AyurVedaand Integrative Medicine is even more robust at the graduate level, with 67 new students enrolling in this master of science degree, with a total enrollment of 163 students.

'This master's program has come along at just the right time, when the need for holistic, prevention-based health care has never been greater,” Eason said. 'It aligns perfectly with M.U.M.'s mission to improve the quality of life everywhere.”

Overall, not counting students in the MS in computer science, the total enrollment this fall is 760, with 353 online students and 407 on-campus students.

The growth in the proportion of online students is also evident when comparing this to figures from the fall of 2018, which saw 543 students enrolled, with 177 of those being online students and 366 on-campus.

Total enrollment at the university as of early September was 1,750, including 739 students in the MS in computer science and 151 students at Maharishi Invincibility Institute in South Africa.

Used with permission from The Review, Maharishi University of Management's electronic newsletter.

MUM has 178 new students arrive to study computer science

As has been the case in recent years, the Maharishi University of Management's Department of Computer Science again this year attracted a large number of students this fall, with a record 137 new students enrolling in the MS in Computer Science Computer Professionals Program this fall.

In addition, 41 students have come to study in the Master's in Software Development, being offered for the first time.

'This is a significant enrollment for a completely new program and points to the growing recognition of M.U.M. as a leader in providing career opportunities for computer programming,” said Rod Eason, vice president of enrollment management and student life.

The appeal of these two programs relies on their uniqueness.

The Computer Professionals Program appeals to students around the world because of the low upfront cost. Students study on campus for up to eight months and then complete their degree via distance education while working in a paid practicum position at a U.S. company for up to two years. The money they earn pays for their degree. Only highly qualified students with professional experience are accepted into the program.

This contrasts with the new master's in software development, which accepts students with no background in computer science. The program is oriented toward those wanting to switch careers and who have an aptitude for computer programming.

Used with permission from The Review, Maharishi University of Management's electronic newsletter.

MUM student farm receives organic, biodynamic certification

After following U. Ss Department of Agriculture organic standards for three years, the Maharishi University of Management student farm has been inspected and verified to meet these standards - and is now certified organic.

In addition, the farm also recently received biodynamic certification, making M.U.M. the first accredited university to achieve this distinction.

Organic certification disallows the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers, and the farm must be free of these chemicals for a transition period of three years in order to be certified.

Organic agriculture helps ensure greater health for people, the soil, and the plants themselves, said farm manager Kris Johnson.

Biodynamic certification goes a step further, requiring that the farm produce its own fertility. According to Johnson, that entails locally sourcing all the potting soil, compost, and compost 'tea” (a blend of microorganisms used to treat the soil). Each day, some 500 pounds of food waste from the dining hall is added to the composting process.

'Biodynamic agriculture looks at the farm as a whole ecosystem, rather than just extracting cash from the land,” Johnson said. 'It's more in tune with natural law.”

Professor Steve McLaskey, who teaches regenerative organic agriculture, said that biodynamic agriculture takes best care of the soil, the environment, and biodiversity. It requires using as little tillage as possible and using cover crops when the soil isn't being used to grow food. In addition, it requires setting land aside and not cultivating it so that it provides a nourishing environment for wildlife and wild plants.

'Biodynamic agriculture can truly be called regenerative,” McLaskey said. 'Part of the university's mission is to be a good steward of the environment. These certifications clearly demonstrate that we're doing that.”

He said the M.U.M. farm is the only one in Iowa to be certified biodynamic.

Achieving these certifications has been a great satisfaction, he said. 'We put in a lot of work. It involves a lot of paperwork, including detailed records of our practices, as well as inspections by the certifying agencies.”

The farm operates throughout the year, growing produce in the campus greenhouses during the winter months. Produce is sold at the farmers market and via a subscription program May through mid-October, which is referred to as community-supported agriculture or CSA. Subscribers receive a box of produce each week. This year there are 27 subscribers, with the CSA program expected to expand next year.

Currently there are seven full-time students working on the farm as part of their major in regenerative organic agriculture. In addition, other students sometimes take one or two agriculture courses and work on the farm during that time.

McLaskey, who grew up on a farm and holds a doctorate in agriculture, heads the regenerative organic agriculture program.

The farm comprises 18 acres located north of the M.U.M. tennis courts and north of the grain elevator on the edge of campus on Highway 1, with two acres currently under cultivation.

Used with permission from The Review, Maharishi University of Management's electronic newsletter.