Finding God in a Hammock

Without delay, I have to share the exciting news of the newest addition to the RU campus: hammocks. Today, they popped up all over campus, and they are a thing of beauty. I’m not sure who was behind this, but I definitely approve. On my way to class this morning, I saw Physical Plant setting them up outside of Corcoran. They were directly across the sidewalk from the hospitality tent that is being set up for the upcoming Family Weekend events, so I didn’t really think anything of it. I thought they were part of the weekend festivities. I also had a big exam on my mind and that hot new song by Pitbull and Neyo was playing on my iPod, so, needless to say, I was a little distracted.

On my way back from class, around 3:00 this afternoon, I saw more hammocks outside the back of the XL dorm. The icing on the cake occurred when I got down into the Townhouses (THVs). There, in all its glory, was an oversized hammock not 20 steps from my front door. It’s almost as if it were meant just for me. I looked around to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. I ran into my THV, dropped off my backpack, and then ran back out to inspect the hammock, afraid I would miss my chance to enjoy it if I didn’t hurry.

Now, I must admit that I am not the most graceful person and I had had a challenging experience with a hammock at a family reunion about 10 years ago. I had never seen a hammock this big, so I was analyzing my best entry strategy. I found the perfect balance right in the middle of thing, and I took a deep sigh of relief. This week has been difficult. I had two pretty challenging exams, and my car had broken down. Lying in that hammock with the late September breeze blowing on my face made all of that disappear. I put Bruce Springsteen on my iPod and closed my eyes, enjoying the opportunity to slow down for the next half hour.

I couldn’t help but think of the theme for this academic year: finding God in all things. Today, I found God in the middle of a hammock after a challenging week. Where have you found God this week?

Leading by Example

SAB has had some pretty big events the last few weeks that went so incredibly well. When I reflect on Fall Concert and the Hawks & Buckets game show, I feel very proud of not only the attendance at the events but also how the executive board and general members have been positively affected by these events. An important ideal held by the Jesuits is that every single person can be a leader. Additionally, each person has the responsibility to help develop the talents and gifts of others to help them become leaders, too.

(Hawks & Buckets the Game Show. Students had to pick randomly numbered buckets in hopes of finding the bucket with fake cash. The other buckets included items like evaporated milk, baked beans, and BBQ sauce. The buckets were dumped on the heads of the students. Prizes included an iPad, a Wii, and cash.)

I see this at every event that SAB sponsors. Not only are the members of the executive board settling into their new leadership positions, but they are helping the general members (most of whom are freshmen) find their place here at Rockhurst while encouraging them to develop their own interests and talents. I have been pleasantly surprised by the number of freshmen that consistently come to our meetings and events with a willingness and passion to help the event run smoothly. They probably don't know it yet, but they, too, are taking the first steps to becoming leaders here at RU.  I truly believe that many of these enthusiastic freshmen will be the ones that comprise the executive board next school year.

On a side note, I have to take just a minute or two to celebrate a personal accomplishment that came with Fall Concert. Since freshman year, I had made it my personal goal to book the band Ha Ha Tonka (HHT) to play at Rockhurst before I graduated. Every time a new concert chair was elected in SAB, I made sure to forward them as much information as possible about the band in hopes they would be added to the bill for one of SAB’s major concerts. Sadly, this was not an easy task. Even when I held the position of concert chair in the 2009-2010 school year, I was unable to bring the band to RU. Many things stood in the way of accomplishing my goal- conflicting schedules, genres that didn’t match with HHT’s sound, etc. When we were planning this year's Fall Concert, I once again threw HHT’s name out there. With a little luck and some strong convincing, we made the band an offer which they later accepted. My dreams were becoming a reality. The true icing on the Ozark rock cake came when I got to personally introduce the band before their set. Seeing Ha Ha Tonka play some of my favorite songs on my school’s campus made me so proud, and I was so glad to finally be able to share their music with my classmates. I had waited three years for this to happen. It was definitely worth the wait.

(Ha Ha Tonka playing at RU's Fall Concert on 8/27/11)

In conclusion, being involved with organizations on campus has given me the chance to become a leader in my own right. I have learned how to work with all types of people, and I have been able to see my dreams become reality. Even more importantly, I feel like I have had at least a small influence on others, hoping to help them realize their own potential and dreams. And that is a legacy I can feel good about :-)

Please allow me to introduce myself

For my first blog entry, I would like to give you all a little background information about who I am. I am currently in my senior year at RU. My majors are International Business and Spanish, and my minor is Nonprofit Leadership Studies. I am originally from Laurel, Maryland, but I have lived in St. Louis for the past 13 years or so.

I have absolutely loved my Rockhurst experience thus far. Since I was a freshman, I have been very involved with Social Activities Board (SAB), an organization that puts on free or cheap events for RU students. We try to do 1 event a week to help students meet one another and to give them some options to fill their free time. This year, I am the President of SAB. My past executive board positions include Concert Chair and Vice President. For the past 3 years, I also served as an Orientation Leader. Orientation is a 5-day program that helps freshmen and transfer students get acquainted with the campus, meet each other, and have fun. I am also involved with a social sorority on campus, and Greek Life has been an awesome part of my RU experience.

I have been on two service trips with Rockhurst. My freshman year, I traveled to Baltimore, and our group of students and faculty served at a variety of venues, including women's shelters, inner-city day cares, and drug rehabilitation centers. This past January, I participated on the Service Immersion Trip to New Orleans. We worked on a house that was rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina. The memories I made on these service trips have been some of my favorite memories of my time here at RU. They are a great way to meet new people, to be in fellowship with those we serve, and to put the Jesuit ideals of our education into practice.

(NOLA Service Trip Group)

The title of my blog ("Go forth and set the world on fire") is a quote from St. Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits). I first heard this quote last summer when I went to Fordham University in NYC for the annual National Jesuit Student Leadership Conference, and I was very inspired by the message. One of the main reasons I selected Rockhurst was because it is a Jesuit University. I strive to incorporate the Jesuit ideals and teachings into my everyday thoughts and actions. Reflection is an integral part to the Jesuit experience. As I reflect on my RU experiences, I felt this quote would be a good title for my blog.

That about sums it up. I am very much looking forward to sharing my experiences with you all from my time here at Rockhurst. As I begin my senior year, I would like to fill these entries with fond memories and bright hopes for my future.

-Kelsey Lee Evans