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 :-)