It’s not easy to get a hold of NIU President John Peters. As the chief executive officer and main spokesman for the university, Peters holds perhaps the busiest job on campus. He also carries the responsibility when it comes to the good and the bad that NIU faces.

However, after gaining years of experience working in higher education, he doesn’t allow this heavy burden to pin him down.

“Things happen so fast, I don’t dwell on it,” Peters said. “If you dwell on it, you won’t be able to sleep at night.”

Growing up on a dairy farm in the small town of Strongville, Ohio, has helped Peters deal with the hectic lifestyle that comes with being NIU’s president.

“It’s just like farming, there are no normal seasons,” he said about his busy, unpredictable schedule.

The life of NIU’s president consists of many meetings and phone calls, as well as several pounds of paperwork to read in the morning. He also participates in many luncheons with community groups in DeKalb, Chicago and other cities.

Peters’ nights often include social entertaining at the president’s residence, and his weekends involve travel to meet with potential donors. Lately, he’s been spending much of his time preparing the university for this weekend’s sporting events.

Maintaining a strong relationship between NIU and DeKalb also is a task Peters confronts daily.

“This university cannot prosper unless we have good relations with the city of DeKalb, and we move forward together,” he said.

Peters wants “the students and NIU employees in DeKalb to have a good experience living here, and that the community is proud to have the university here.

“Basically it’s a 24/7 job,” he said.

Peters enjoys fly-fishing, golfing, reading and watching college football on Saturdays as hobbies.

But that life still is something he enjoys.

“My father once said that as long as you feel you’re making a contribution, that is the important thing,” he said. “When I feel I’m not making a contribution to something, that is when I think I’ll say, ‘why don’t you do something else?’

“Right now I feel I’m making a contribution just because this place has some momentum, and I think that is exciting.”