Oh, The Things I've Learned So Far

The other day, my doctor prescribed me some medicine and told me that I should get it right away.  The thing is, this medicine is pricey without insurance and my insurance card was still on its way to me, so obviously I did not have a personal insurance card. Well, I was given a temporary insurance card and told that it should work until my personal insurance card arrived in the mail.

            When I got to the pharmacy, they told me that the temporary card wouldn’t work and that I needed to have my own card.  Long story short, the pharmacy ended up only filling half of my prescription and it ended up costing me $72.50. The whole way home, I just kept wondering where the hell I was supposed to learn this stuff. Was it in a class that was hidden away in my college’s course catalog? Where was I supposed to learn these things that everyone expected me to know but no one would teach me?

            I’ve been a part of the Leadership Conference Committee since September and when we were discussing our theme for this year’s conference, these things came up. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one concerned about how we’re supposed to know things that nobody teaches. Turns out, it’s not some magical thing that happens. You don’t just graduate or turn 22 and automatically know how to interview for a career or what “snappy casual” means as a dress code.

            It didn’t take much discussing for us to land on this as our theme. We decided that since nobody else was willing to teach us the things we needed to know, we would take matters into our own hands.  So, if you’re interested in learning about all of these things so you don’t feel like you’re graduating college with no actual knowledge of the things you need to know for the "real world," you should attend our conference.  It’s not magic, but it will be helpful.  At the very least, you’ll have a better idea of how you should and should not dress for a “snappy casual” work event. And no, I’m not making “snappy casual” up. It really does exist.

- Naomi Wallace, Manhattanville College Leadership Conference Committee

Making a Difference Through Leadership

Throughout our lives, we will be confronted by ethical dilemmas that question our role as leaders.  Our choices throughout these moments will not only define us; our actions will speak louder than our words, sometimes threatening the stability of our moral compass.  Nevertheless, the effect these instances have upon our own personal development does not even remotely come close to the difference we may make in the lives of others simply by offering our help and guidance as they experience adversity.  It is during these times of adversity that acquaintances and strangers seem to most readily ignore and resist confrontation, as demonstrated by the show What Would You Do?  Verbal abuse is then perceived as a private matter, physical fights become too dangerous to intervene, and stereotypical remarks and racial slurs slide by simply for the sake of keeping the peace.  Yet, through silent conformity, the real victims experiencing psychological, physical, and emotional pain fail to be helped.  As leaders, it is crucial that we have enough confidence in our own judgment and enough compassion in our hearts to help others in need.  Undoubtedly, that’s why we’ve chosen the jobs that we currently hold as resident advisors or other student leaders.  Even moreso, this is why we are leaders striving to further educate ourselves as to how to be the best leaders we possibly can – to make a difference in the lives of others and encourage others to do the same.

- Alyssa Reardon, Manhattanville College Leadership Conference Committee

Transforming into a Leader

Hey Everybody,

A true leader is one that can transform a follower to a leader. As we approach the leadership conference, it is imperative to realize that we cannot avoid being leaders in our lives. What we can avoid, however, is being effective leaders. I doubt if there is anyone who aims to become a mediocre, let alone, poor leader.

The internet is full of articles that define the traits of a good leader. Just type “leadership traits” on any search engine and you will be showered with a plethora of well- articulated articles that define how a leader ought to behave. It therefore seems that we have no reason to have unskilled leaders, at least not in a technologically-savvy world. Lack of information is not an excuse.

So what is the missing link? Given that leaders thrive under the same conditions, with no competition amongst them, what differentiate a fruit-bearing leader from a barren leader?

I believe the ability to transform a leader’s followers into empathic individuals is what separates a successful leader from the rest.  This task has been accomplished once the followers are able to experience the burden and eagerness of the leader, in turn, becoming leaders themselves. As we prepare ourselves for the conference, let us prepare in a way that will enable us to become transformers. Transforming is very closely and strongly intertwined with the application of what we learn. So, regardless of what we acquire from the conference—from the do’s and don’ts to short and long-term goals—let us make it our sole desire to make them an integral part of our lives.

- Geoffrey Rugarabamu, Manhattanville College Leadership Conference Committee

Leadership Conference Connections

As a conference co-chair I am wrapped up in the big picture and small details all at the same time. However, there are moments when that is put aside and I can focus on what the conference can bring.  There was one such moment last week when my friend and former co-worker called me with a question.  Immediately I was transformed, I had a chance to connect with a friend and professional in the field.  We chatted about the conference but then quickly turned to playing catch up, talked about the holidays, recent snow storms and mutual friends that we’d had contact with. 

The friendship I have with her started many years ago when our work overlapped for two years at the same institution.  The relationship started like many others you might have, as professional.  She was a hall director with me and we needed to rely on each other for duty issues, programming questions, student follow-up, and consistency.  As an RA I am sure this sounds very familiar, you rely on your staff members for many of the same things. 

But as the semester and year went on we began to develop a stronger relationship, learning each other’s goals, pushing each other to achieve them, listening when the other had a bad day, offering to cover duty and not ask for the same in return.  This is when you know you have a solid team, when you are connected to the whole person and looking to make sure that everyone is taken care of, not just yourself.  It is this connection that will make sure your friendship lasts even when you are no longer working at the same school or even in the same state.

I want each of you to take a look at your fellow staff members, either in your building or as a whole.  Who have you connected with?  Are their friendships that can be strengthened?  What do you know about your floor partner or senior staff member aside from their year, major and that they are a student leader?  Take the chance to learn more.  That connection will bring you closer together and will help to ensure a friendship past your time on staff together.  You never know when you’ll get a phone call to reconnect and end up taking a stroll down memory lane.

You may be wondering how the call ended with my friend, we have tentative plans for the Sunday after the conference for lunch and shopping in NYC. 

- Michelle Eichengreen, Manhattanville College Leadership Conference Committee Co-Chair