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