Dinner with the Chancellor

Having the ability to have dinner with chancellor Carter his wonderful wife was something that most college student never get the chance to do.  However thanks to my involvement in the Leadership Living Learning Community here at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke I was able to attend this event.

During the dinner we went through a serving line full of food that was themed to go along with an October Fest. So once we got the German food we went in to the backyard and sat down at the tables.  Once everyone had sat down the Chancellor and his wife sat down in the empty chairs through out the back yard.  Since the Leadership Living Learning community had 60 people there was no way that everyone could sit with them.  So after was had eaten we fixed s’mores with the chancellor.  During this time we mingled in and out and had the opportunity to speak freely with them.   Also during this free time my table had the opportunity to speak with Dale Carter.  Mr. Carter was hired by the school to help enhance the marketing for the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. When we spoke to him we talked to him about the experiences and opportunity we have from this school.

As a closing announcement for the dinner chancellor Carter and his wife made an announcement and opened themselves for questions.  The final question inspired the answer that he challenged each and every one of us to graduate in four years.  After this we got a tour of the personal living quarters of the chancellors house. Including their daughter’s room, guest room, and even their own room.

Modeling the Way

To me the phrase “modeling the way” can be taken in a variety of different ways depending upon the circumstance.  For someone to model the way they are required to be a role model.  It may only be to one person or maybe a hundred.  All that matters is you have someone looking up at what you do. You must be able to know the right thing to do no matter who is looking.  If you do not you must be honest to yourself and others as well. Admitting mistakes are not a sign of weakness but instead a sign that you are the same as any other person. If you are not sure what is right or wrong and be able to admit mistakes then you are in no position to model the way.

As a program we need to set a example of modeling the way.  In order to do so we

FIRST: set a good image on the program and the many members that associate with it.  Getting our name out to others by being together as a large group can do this.  However, by being in the large group every member must understand and remember that others are watching us at any given time.  One small way is just going to the Café together once a week and sitting as a large group. Or a even bigger way would be getting involved in a community service event where we will be seen by other members of out community.

 

SECOND: we need to have a true bonding experience with each and every person.  I personally feel as if the program at this given time has to many clichés in it.  That is something that we will face through the rest of our lives, but people see that as a negative thing in a program such as the Leadership living Learning Community.

Why The LLC?

I took advantage of the opportunity last year and chose to participate in the leadership Living Learning Community this year because of everything I experienced last year.  Without this program last year I would had probably not returned to UNCP.  However thanks to the LLC I not only returned to UNCP but I have became very involved.  All of these are things that I owe thanks to the program for, however I feel I have plenty more to learn and experience. During the upcoming year I hope to be able and develop even more.  I hope to gain more than just another college involvement to put on my resume.  I already have a network of not only friends, but professionals as well.  I also hope to establish a much stronger network during my time in college.

“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” –John F. Kennedy

Being Smart Over The Year

S = Specific

M = Measurable

A = Attainable

R = Realistic

T = Timely

Goal 1: – Getting a G.P.A of at least 3.5

For my first goal I am striving to raise my overall GPA to at least a 3.5.  This is something that I can do, however it will be a challenge to do so.  The best way to do so will be through dedicating a certain period of time to my studies and myself.  I also have understood that it is ok to ask for help.  When I see my self start to struggle I will seek the resources it requires.  I have already taken some steps by taking classes in with friends to allow for help as needed.

Goal 2: – Understand Differences.

Over the course of not only this semester but this year I want to truly experience the differences in cultures.  Since not one person is similar, I want to be able and see differences.  Differences are never a bad thing; they should be embraced.   So over this year I am challenging myself to take advantage of the many opportunities that I am blessed to have and expand my horizon.  As I grow I want to end this year off in a big way with studying abroad.

Welcome Back

I am coming back for my sophomore year of college and it has been a busy year already.  I have taken on the responsibility beyond many other students in my shoes.  I have not one job but two.  I work on the student programming board (ACE) where I am in charge of the films that are shown on campus.   My other job is a resident advisor (RA) in not only a new dorm, but also the biggest residential building in all of Robeson County.  within this first month back I have already started to experience things that I would normally turn away from.  So this year i will not treat my commitments as a job, but a learning experience.

one other commitment that I have is with the Leadership Living Learning community. I was giving the opportunity last year to apply and was chosen to be one of the 35 incoming freshman for this program at UNC-Pembroke. This year will mark my second year being in the program and having the challenge of being the RA for where we all live together.  With being the RA I have not been able to attend the beginning team building activities due to move in for all the other students around campus.   The Leadership Living Learning community took a trip to the US White Water Rafting Center in Charlotte NC for white water raft, zip line, and other important team exercises.  During the time of this trip I had to stay back for move in, little did I know the crazy day I had before me.  We had to move in times that day and at the ending of the first move in time it began to rain.  After 30 min of constant rain this brand new building seemed to have a problem.  The building seemed to take on a nice amount of water.  Luckily the staff at UNC-Pembroke reacted fast and had this problem cleaned up with in 2 hours, just in time for the 2^nd move in.  So while the LLC traveled all the way to Charlotte to White Water Raft, I got the experience of doing it in inside.

Community Service

Now that I have grown up I now understand that community service goes many different ways.  It will benefit not only you but also others all around.  You benefit yourself with the feeling that you get when you’re done helping and the experience you get from it.  Also you benefit others through helping them see someone cares and is there to help them.

I know that I have a problem as well as many others understanding the need around the world.  I have not really ever gone through many of the things people face everyday.  Such as homelessness, dehydration, starvation, and abuse.  I know that this exist in the world and wish it would end, but don’t truly understand it.  When I go to and from school I never see anyone with any of these problems, but do I really look for them? Given the current economy there had been many people who have went through this in the United States due to one little mess up in the economy.

Going out and helping truly makes a difference and I believe that all levels of schools should require some form of community service.  From when they are in elementary school all the way to the college level and beyond.   This will create better citizens in the United States and branch out over the world as the positive outcomes are there.

What We Dont See Eveyday

This is one of the most sickening pictures I have ever seen.  When death sets in and waits over your shoulder there’s only so much that can be done. Taken by Kevin Carter on 1994 when the Sudan famine was taking place.  As there are people starving to the point that they are close to death, while other place in the world have people just throwing away food.  This show how important is it to not be wasteful, because there is always someone who could really use what you have.

It is said that this is an eight-year-old girl in the picture. She seems to look like the size of an underweight two year old.  Having this said, at her age she should not have to worry about food. However that thought is proven to be wrong due to how you are able to see her rib cage from the lack of nourishment.   She should be able to run around and have fun.

Looking at the ground you begin to notice something is missing.  The grass has turned to dirt. Looking at the child you can also notice that she has no shoes on.  Walking around all day long with no shoes on makes your feet cut open, become sore and bleed.  Then, with many others walking were everyone else does the area has a lot of germs.  Through these cuts it allows for the body to take in unwanted germs.     Also one factor is missing, thing to make plants grow such as grass is water.    There is hay spread around in some spots, but is that something that someone did or the wind?  It seems as if the wind did this because if you look in the background you can see what seems to be stacks of hay.  However it is there homes, where they sleep to get ready for the day ahead. This background helps portray the poverty level for this part of the world is depleted.  You see a place that they would call home forever, but what we would call a campsite for maybe the night.

The most upsetting thing that is in the picture is the large bird in the background.  This bird is almost twice the size of the eight-year-old child.  The type of bird is the flesh-eating Vulture.   It seems that the death of this child is so close that it is right over its shoulder.  It will jump on the weak and powerless child when the last movement is made.  The bird has the effect of death of this unfortunate child.  When it moves to the child then the life is no more.

In 1994 when Kevin Carter took this photo he was told not to touch these people due to what may happen to them.  So all he could do was to chase the death away from the child for a little longer. He later went to win an award for this picture and only three months from seeing this he decided to take his own life.

 

Work Cited

n. pag. Web. 8 Oct 2010. < http://www.theroadtothehorizon.org/2008/04/news-sudan-from-1994-famine-to-five.html >.