Leading the Drive for Education at All Levels of Involvement

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Company/Organization: Nationwide
CEO/Board Chair: Jerry Jurgensen, CEO of Nationwide
State: Ohio
Level of Involvement: National, State, Local
Type of Initiative: Leadership, Advocacy, Expertise
Target Education Priority: More Graduates Ready for College and Careers, More Innovation Workers in the Pipeline, Maximize Data-Driven Decision Making

"The fact is, too many graduating seniors are unprepared for what will be required to succeed in college or in the workplace. We know that taking challenging courses is the best preparation for either path, yet we make it far too easy for too many of our young people, especially minorities, to graduate without being exposed to the rigor they need for success in college and careers. We must commit to the goal that a diploma means that all graduates have viable choices for life after high school.” – Jerry Jurgensen, July 2006.

Overview
As an employer headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, William “Jerry” Jurgensen appreciates the connection between the quality of local schools and his company’s ability to attract talented employees. He has been outspoken in this support of increasing education standards to ensure that students are well-prepared for the challenges they will face in higher education and the workforce. His passion for improving his local schools has led to a commitment to enhancing education opportunities nationwide. After chairing the Governor’s Commission on Teaching Success in Ohio, Jurgensen became more deeply involved in education reform, serving on numerous local, state and national education-related organizations. He has also led Nationwide’s involvement in K-12 education by supporting its associates and employees in their education outreach efforts.

Strategies for Success
In 2001, Jurgensen got his first exposure to education reform when he agreed, at Ohio Governor Bob Taft’s invitation, to chair the Governor’s Commission on Teaching Success, which was charged with examining the state’s current teaching policies and practices and making recommendations to ensure that every student in Ohio has a caring and competent teacher. Jurgensen’s three vice chairs all worked in the education arena, which, when combined with the mission of the Commission, offered Jurgensen an up-close look at the important role that education and educators play in shaping the future of our nation’s children. Since that time, Jurgensen has become even more personally involved in public education by stepping into the classroom as a participant in the Columbus Public Schools’ “Principal for a Day” event.

Jurgensen also continues to work with the Ohio Business Roundtable to improve education opportunities for Ohio’s students. Most recently, Jurgensen supported the Ohio Core Curriculum legislation, a state plan that calls for all high school students to complete a rigorous core curriculum, including advanced science and mathematics, regardless of whether they plan to enter college or go directly into the workforce, and makes these curriculum standards the minimum college admissions requirements to Ohio’s public four-year colleges and universities.

In addition, Jurgensen commits his personal time as a member of business-led and education-related organizations that have prioritized education reform. In addition to serving on Achieve, Inc. and the national Business Roundtable’s Education and the Workforce Task Force, Jurgensen is on the boards of Loyola University, Columbus College of Art & Design and the Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges. He also is active in the Columbus-based Project GRAD, an organization helping disadvantaged students graduate from high school and get into college.

Jurgensen has been a driving force behind Nationwide’s long tradition of supporting K-12 education. Company associates volunteer their time to serve as tutors, guest readers, career day hosts and enthusiastic participants in adopt-a-school programs across the country. More than 200 Central Ohio associates serve as mentors and tutors to help students in Columbus Public Schools pass math proficiency tests. In addition to helping students, the company also supports teachers. In Des Moines, for example, Nationwide associate Allied Insurance and WHO TV-13 present the Golden Apple Award every month during the school year to a deserving teacher who has made a difference in their school.

Jurgensen and Nationwide exemplify corporate leadership for education reform in several strategic ways recommended by Business Toolkit for Better Schools, including:

Use the bully pulpit to make the case that the global economy demands higher expectations, a renewed commitment to math and science investments and data-driven decision making
Communicate with the public, media, employees and students about the importance of public education reform to companies, America's competitiveness, individual citizens and society at large
Invest corporate resources, including charitable giving programs, dedicated staff positions and employee time, to public education
Join or start local or statewide nonprofit coalitions of like-minded business leaders to advance education reform
Identify and support senior staff to focus their time on education policy and reform
Serve on local, statewide and national school boards, commissions and task forces
Keep the public conversation focused on the vision for the public education system
Sustain the public's commitment to school reform over time

Indicators of Success
Jurgensen and Nationwide have helped to improve education standards for students and teachers in Ohio and across the country. Jurgensen’s work on the Governor’s Commission on Teaching Success led to a long-range blueprint for enhancing the quality of teaching in Ohio, which served as the basis for legislation in the Ohio statehouse. Governor Bob Taft signed the Ohio Core Curriculum into law in January 2007, meaning that Ohio students will be required to meet more rigorous graduation requirements, a success for both Jurgensen and Ohio.

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Updated: March 2007